Combining the most compatible ALS large and small subunits results in ALS inhibitor-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris plants gaining performance

Abstract

Improved herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris, particularly improved sugar beet plants, are provided, in which the large and small subunits of herbicide-tolerant acetolactate synthase are optimally matched, with increased yield and performance while maintaining optimal and agronomically relevant herbicide tolerance. Further provided are markers for identifying such improved herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris plants, as well as methods for obtaining and identifying such improved herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris plants.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Incorporating sequence tables The sequence listing contained in the submitted file entitled "BCS11027.xml", which contains 48 sequence entries and is 80 kilobytes (measured by the MS-Windows operating system), is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] FIELD OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris plants, such as ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris plants, particularly sugar beet plants, and methods of controlling undesirable vegetation in areas where Beta vulgaris plants are grown by applying an ALS inhibitor herbicide to such plants.

[0003] In particular, the present invention relates to Beta vulgaris plants comprising a herbicide-resistant ALS allele encoding an ALS large catalytic subunit combined with an optimal regulatory subunit (ALS small subunit) to increase yield, sugar yield, performance and / or vigor of the resulting plant. [Background technology]

[0004] The cultivar Beta vulgaris (as defined in Ford-Lloyd (2005) Sources of genetic variation, Genus Beta. In: Biancardi E, Campbell LG, Skaracis GN, De Biaggi M (eds) Genetics and Breeding of Sugar Beet. Science Publishers, Enfield (NH), USA, pp 25-33) is an important agricultural crop in temperate and subtropical regions. For example, about 20% of the world's sugar production is based on sugar beet. Beet seedlings and young plants during the first 6-8 weeks of their life cycle are subject to intense competition posed by fast growing weeds that outcompete the young crop plants, so reliable weed control measures are essential in these crop areas.

[0005] Herbicides are useful tools to control weeds in cultivated beets. Products used for this purpose, such as phenmedipham, desmediphan and metamitron, make it possible to suppress the growth of weeds in beet fields without damaging the crop. Nevertheless, under adverse environmental conditions, the efficacy of these products leaves room for improvement, especially when noxious weeds such as Chenopodium album, Amaranthus retroflexus, Fallopia convolvulus and / or Tripleurospermum inodorata germinate for a long period of time.

[0006] ALS inhibitor herbicides are widely used in modern agriculture due to their effectiveness at moderate application rates and their relative non-toxicity in animals.By inhibiting ALS activity, these herbicides prevent further growth and development of sensitive plants, including many weed species.Additional ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant breeding lines and varieties of crop plants, as well as methods and compositions for the manufacture and use of ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant breeding lines and varieties have been developed to provide plants with increased resistance to the higher concentrations of ALS inhibitor herbicides that may be required for sufficient weed control.

[0007] These ALS inhibitor herbicides inhibit the enzyme "acetohydroxyacid synthase" (AHAS), also known as "acetolactate synthase" (ALS [EC 4.1.3.18]). ALS is known to be responsible for the damage caused by (a) sulfonylurea herbicides (Beyer EM et al. (1988), Sulfonylureas in Herbicides: Chemistry, Degradation, and Mode of Action; Marcel Dekker, New York, 1988, 117-189), (b) sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinone herbicides (Pontzen, R., Pflanz.-Nachrichten Bayer, 2002, 55, 37-52), (c) imidazolinone herbicides (Shaner, DL, et al., Plant Physiol., 1984, 76, 545-546; Shaner, DL, and O'Connor, SL (Eds.) The Imidazolinone Herbicides, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1991), and (d) triazolopyrimidine herbicides (Kleschick, WA et al., Agric. Food Chem., 1992, 40, 1083-1085), and (e) five structurally diverse herbicides belonging to the class of ALS inhibitor herbicides such as pyrimidinyl(thio)benzoate herbicides (Shimizu, TJ, Pestic. Sci.,1997, 22, 245-256; Shimizu, T. et al., Acetolactate Syntehase Inhibitors in Herbicide Classes in Development, Boger, P., Wakabayashi, K., Hirai, K., (Eds.), Springer Verlag, Berlin, 2002, 1-41).

[0008] ALS is involved in the conversion of two pyruvate molecules into acetolactate molecules and carbon dioxide. This reaction uses thiamine pyrophosphate to link two pyruvate molecules. The resulting product of this reaction, acetolactate, ultimately becomes valine, leucine and isoleucine (Singh (1999) "Biosynthesis of valine, leucine and isoleucine", in Plant Amino Acids, Singh, BK, ed., Marcel Dekker Inc. New York, New York, pp. 227-247).

[0009] The ALS holoenzyme consists of four catalytic subunits and four regulatory subunits (Duggleby et al., Plant Physiol Biochem, 2008, Structure and mechanism of inhibition of plant acetohydroxyacid synthase). The catalytic part is constructed from identical subunits, but the regulatory part can be assembled from different regulatory subunits (Binder, S. (2010). Branched-chain amino acid metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Arabidopsis Book / American Society of Plant Biologists, 8.). The regulatory subunit serves to mediate feedback inhibition by the BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) leucine, valine, and isoleucine (Lee et al., Biochemistry, 2001, Identification of the regulatory subunit of Arabidopsis thaliana acetohydroxyacid synthase and reconstitution with its catalytic subunit; Lee et al., FEBS, 2002, Regulatory interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana acetohydroxyacid synthase).

[0010] ALS inhibitors block the biosynthesis of valine, leucine and isoleucine in plants, quickly depleting the respective amino acid pools and causing a blockage of protein synthesis, leading to the cessation of plant growth and ultimately the death or - at the very least - damage of the plant.

[0011] Single base pair substitutions at specific sites in the catalytic subunit of ALS can lead to more or less resistant ALS enzyme mutants that exhibit different levels of inhibition by ALS inhibitor herbicides. Plants that contain mutant ALS large subunit alleles therefore exhibit different levels of resistance to ALS inhibitor herbicides, depending on the chemical structure of the ALS inhibitor herbicide and the site of the point mutation in the ALS gene.

[0012] WO2012049268 describes the identification and isolation in Beta vulgaris of an ALS mutant allele (hereinafter also referred to as BvALS_W569L gene or allele) that comprises a substitution at the codon at nucleotide positions 1705-1707 of the endogenous ALS gene, thereby encoding an ALS polypeptide having a leucine in place of the naturally occurring tryptophan at amino acid position 569. Beta vulgaris plants comprising this allele exhibit strong and agronomically relevant resistance to various ALS inhibitor herbicides, as also described in WO2012049266.

[0013] Herbicide-resistant mutations may affect ALS enzyme activity and may reduce feedback inhibition and lead to accumulation of BCAAs in ALS (Endo et al., 2013). These potential negative effects may be counterbalanced by countervailing modifications in regulatory subunits.

[0014] Thus, there remains a need for a Beta vulgaris plant, such as a sugar beet plant or a fodder beet plant, that comprises an ALS herbicide-resistant catalytic subunit allele, e.g., BvALS_W569L, combined with a regulatory ALS small subunit of optimal compatibility to produce an improved Beta vulgaris plant with increased performance, expressed inter alia by increased yield, e.g., increased sugar yield, while maintaining optimal and agronomically relevant ALS herbicide resistance. This problem is solved as described below in the detailed description, figures and claims. Summary of the Invention

[0015] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor-herbicide tolerant Beta vulgaris plant or hybrid seed comprising an ALS holoenzyme comprising an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 instead of naturally occurring tryptophan, such as an ALS large subunit encoded by a nucleotide sequence comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 or comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:4; and an ALS small subunit that can be selected by identification with marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:33), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:34), marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:35) or marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:36).The ALS small subunit may be encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 3 between a marker selected from marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:37), marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:38) or marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:39) and a marker selected from marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:43), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:44) or marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:45); or the ALS small subunit may be encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 4 between a marker selected from marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:40), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:41) or marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:42) and a marker selected from marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:46), marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:47) or marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:48).

[0016] In another aspect, the present invention relates to an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor-herbicide tolerant Beta vulgaris plant or hybrid seed, comprising an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 instead of naturally occurring tryptophan, such as an ALS large subunit encoded by a nucleotide sequence comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 or comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:4; and an ALS large subunit encoded by a nucleotide sequence comprising SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29 or The plant or hybrid seed as described above is provided, comprising an ALS holoenzyme comprising an ALS small subunit, the ALS holoenzyme comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:31, or encoded by a nucleotide sequence having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20; SEQ ID NO:22; SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:28; SEQ ID NO:30 or SEQ ID NO:32.

[0017] In yet another embodiment, there is provided a method for producing a Beta vulgaris plant with an optimally adapted large subunit of the ALS holoenzyme and one or more regulatory subunits, comprising: a) producing a Beta vulgaris plant comprising an allele encoding an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 instead of naturally occurring tryptophan; and b) producing a Beta vulgaris plant comprising at least one allele encoding an ALS small subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29 or SEQ ID NO:31. vulgaris plant; and identifying a progeny plant comprising an allele encoding the ALS large subunit and at least one allele encoding the ALS regulatory subunit.

[0018] In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for producing a Beta vulgaris plant with an optimally adapted large subunit of the ALS holoenzyme and one or more regulatory subunits, the method comprising the steps of providing a Beta vulgaris plant comprising an allele encoding an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, such as the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 instead of naturally occurring tryptophan; and adapting the nucleotide sequence of the allele in chromosome 3 and / or the allele in chromosome 4, encoding the ALS small subunit, by genome editing or directed mutation to obtain a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20; SEQ ID NO:22; SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:28; SEQ ID NO:30 or SEQ ID NO:32.

[0019] In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for identifying or selecting an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor-herbicide resistant Beta vulgaris plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, with an optimally adapted large subunit and one or more regulatory subunits of the ALS holoenzyme, the method comprising: identifying an ALS large subunit in an ALS plant, or in a hybrid seed or part thereof, comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 instead of naturally occurring tryptophan, e.g., an ALS large subunit encoded by a nucleotide sequence comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 or comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; and identifying an ALS small subunit in said plant, said seed or said part, which can be selected by identification with the marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33), the marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34), the marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35) or the marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36), and detecting an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris (Beta vulgaris plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, with an optimally adapted large subunit and one or more regulatory subunits of the ALS holoenzyme.The ALS small subunit may be encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 3 between a marker selected from marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:37), marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:38) or marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:39) and a marker selected from marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:43), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:44) or marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:45); or the ALS small subunit may be encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 4 between a marker selected from marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:40), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:41) or marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:42) and a marker selected from marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:46), marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:47) or marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:48).

[0020] The present invention also provides the use of a Beta vulgaris plant as described herein for the production of sugar, ethanol, biogas, betaine and / or uridine, or for the production of animal feed, or as an animal feed.

[0021] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris growing area, wherein the Beta vulgaris plant is a hybrid Beta vulgaris plant as described herein. The ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) in combination with a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide (i.e., a herbicide that exhibits a mode of action other than inhibition of the ALS enzyme [acetohydroxyacid synthase; EC 2.2.1.6] Group D herbicide), where the non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is / are chloridazon, clethodim, clodinafop, clodinafop-propargyl, clopyralid, cycloxydim, desmedipham, dimethenamid, dimethenamid-P, ethofumesate, fenoxaprop, fenoxaprop-P, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, fluazifop, fluazifop-P, fluazifop-butyl, fluazifop- P-butyl, glufosinate, glufosinate-ammonium, glufosinate-P, glufosinate-P-ammonium, glufosinate-P-sodium, glyphosate, glyphosate-isopropylammonium, haloxyfop, haloxyfop-P, haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-methyl, haloxyfop-P-methyl, lenacil, metamitron, phenmedipham, phenmedipham-ethyl, propaquizafop, quinmerac, quizalofop, quizalofop-ethyl, quizalofop-P, quizalofop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-tefuryl, sethoxydim.

[0022] Further provided by the present invention is a method for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris plant-growing area, characterized by: (a) the presence of a Beta vulgaris plant as described herein; (b) the application of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) alone or in combination with one or more herbicide(s) not belonging to the class of ALS inhibitor herbicides (non-ALS inhibitor herbicides), wherein the application of each herbicide as defined in (b) may (i) be performed jointly or simultaneously, or (ii) be performed at different times and / or in multiple installments (sequential application), as a pre-emergence application followed by a post-emergence application or an early post-emergence application followed by a mid- or late post-emergence application.

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are reflected in the following numbered paragraphs: Embodiment 1. Acetolactate Synthase (ALS) Inhibitor-Herbicide A Beta vulgaris plant. a. an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid 569 in place of the naturally occurring tryptophan; and b. ALS small subunit that can be selected by identification with marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:33), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:34), marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:35) or marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:36) The above plant, comprising an ALS holoenzyme comprising the above. Embodiment 2. A Beta vulgaris plant according to embodiment 1, wherein the ALS small subunit is encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 3 between a marker selected from marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 37), marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38) or marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39) and a marker selected from marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 43), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 44) or marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 45). Embodiment 3. A Beta vulgaris plant according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, wherein the ALS small subunit is encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 4, between a marker selected from the marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40), the marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 41) or the marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 42) and a marker selected from the marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 46), the marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47) or the marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48). Embodiment 4. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the ALS small subunit comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29 or SEQ ID NO:31. Embodiment 5. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the ALS small subunit is encoded by a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20; SEQ ID NO:22; SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:28; SEQ ID NO:30 or SEQ ID NO:32. Embodiment 6. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the ALS small subunit comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 98% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29 or SEQ ID NO:31. Embodiment 7. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the ALS small subunit is encoded by a nucleotide sequence having at least 98% sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20; SEQ ID NO:22; SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:28; SEQ ID NO:30 or SEQ ID NO:32. Embodiment 8. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the ALS small subunit comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29 or SEQ ID NO:31. Embodiment 9. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the ALS small subunit is encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20; SEQ ID NO:22; SEQ ID NO:24; SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:28; SEQ ID NO:30 or SEQ ID NO:32. Embodiment 10. a. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:13, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:15; b. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:17, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:19; c. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:21, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:23; d. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:25, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:27; or e. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:31; 2. A Beta vulgaris plant according to embodiment 1. Embodiment 11. a. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:14, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:16; b. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:18, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20; c. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:24; d. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:26, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:28; or e. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 30, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 32; 2. A Beta vulgaris plant according to embodiment 1. Embodiment 12. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the ALS large subunit comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3. Embodiment 13. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 12, wherein the ALS large subunit is encoded by a nucleotide sequence comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:4. Embodiment 14. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the ALS large subunit is encoded by a homozygous nucleotide sequence. Embodiment 15. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the ALS small subunit is encoded by a homozygous nucleotide sequence. Embodiment 16. A Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 15, which is a hybrid Beta vulgaris plant. Embodiment 17. A Beta vulgaris plant or seed according to any one of embodiments 1 to 16, which is a sugar beet or a sugar beet seed. Embodiment 18. A method of producing a Beta vulgaris plant with an optimally adapted large subunit and one or more regulatory subunits of the ALS holoenzyme, comprising: a. crossing a Beta vulgaris plant comprising an allele encoding an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 in place of naturally occurring tryptophan with a Beta vulgaris plant comprising at least one allele encoding an ALS small subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29 or SEQ ID NO:31; and b. identifying progeny plants comprising said allele encoding said ALS large subunit and said at least one allele encoding said ALS regulatory subunit. The above method comprising: Embodiment 19. Step b is selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34), marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35), marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 37), marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 43), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 44), The method of embodiment 18, comprising identification of the at least one allele encoding the ALS-regulating subunit using any one of the markers M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 45), M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40), M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 41), M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 42), M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 46), M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47) or M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48). Embodiment 20. A method of producing a Beta vulgaris plant with an optimally adapted large subunit and one or more regulatory subunits of the ALS holoenzyme, comprising: c. providing a Beta vulgaris plant comprising an allele encoding an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, such as the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 in place of naturally occurring tryptophan; and d. Adapting the nucleotide sequence of the allele in chromosome 3 and / or the allele in chromosome 4, which encodes the ALS small subunit, by genome editing or directed mutation to obtain a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20; SEQ ID NO:22; SEQ ID NO:24; SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:28; SEQ ID NO:30 or SEQ ID NO:32. The above method comprising: Embodiment 21. Use of a Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 17 for the production of sugar, ethanol, betaine and / or uridine or for the production of animal feed. Embodiment 22. Use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicides (several) for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris growing area, wherein the Beta vulgaris plant is a Beta vulgaris plant as described in embodiments 1 to 17. Embodiment 23. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 22, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belong(s) to: A group of (sulfon)amides (group (A)) consisting of: A sub-group (A1) of sulfonylureas consists of: Amidosulfuron [CAS RN120923-37-7] (=A1-1); Azimsulfuron [CAS RN120162-55-2] (=A1-2); Bensulfuron-methyl [CAS RN83055-99-6] (=A1-3); Chlorimuron-ethyl [CAS RN90982-32-4] (=A1-4); Chlorsulfuron [CAS RN64902-72-3] (=A1-5); Cinosulfuron [CAS RN94593-91-6] (=A1-6); Cyclosulfamuron [CAS RN136849-15-5] (=A1-7); Ethametsulfuron-methyl [CAS RN97780-06-8] (=A1-8); Ethoxysulfuron [CAS RN126801-58-9] (=A1-9); Flazasulfuron [CAS RN104040-78-0] (=A1-10); Flucetosulfuron [CAS RN412928-75-7] (=A1-11); Flupyrsulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144740-54-5](=A1-12); Foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13); Halosulfuron-methyl [CAS RN100784-20-1] (=A1-14); Imazosulfuron [CAS RN122548-33-8] (=A1-15); Iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7](=A1-16); Mesosulfuron-methyl [CAS RN208465-21-8] (=A1-17); Metsulfuron-methyl [CAS RN74223-64-6] (=A1-18); Monosulfuron [CAS RN155860-63-2] (=A1-19); Nicosulfuron [CAS RN111991-09-4] (=A1-20); Orthosulfamuron [CAS RN213464-77-8] (=A1-21); Oxasulfuron [CAS RN144651-06-9] (=A1-22); Primisulfuron-methyl [CAS RN86209-51-0] (=A1-23); Prosulfuron [CAS RN94125-34-5] (=A1-24); Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl [CAS RN93697-74-6] (=A1-25); Rimsulfuron [CAS RN122931-48-0] (=A1-26); Sulfometuron-methyl [CAS RN74222-97-2] (=A1-27); Sulfosulfuron [CAS RN141776-32-1] (=A1-28); Thifensulfuron-methyl [CAS RN79277-27-3] (=A1-29); Triasulfuron [CAS RN82097-50-5] (=A1-30); Tribenuron-methyl [CAS RN101200-48-0] (=A1-31); Trifloxisulfuron [CAS RN145099-21-4] (sodium) (=A1-32); Triflusulfuron-methyl [CAS RN126535-15-7] (=A1-33); Tritosulfuron [CAS RN142469-14-5] (=A1-34); NC-330[CAS RN104770-29-8](=A1-35); NC-620[CAS RN868680-84-6](=A1-36); TH-547[CAS RN570415-88-2](=A1-37); Monosulfuron-methyl [CAS RN175076-90-1] (=A1-38); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide (=A1-39); Compounds of formula (I) [ka] In the formula, M+ represents each salt of compound (I), i.e., its lithium salt (=A1-40); its sodium salt (=A1-41); its potassium salt (=A1-42); its magnesium salt (=A1-43); its calcium salt (=A1-44); its ammonium salt (=A1-45); its methylammonium salt (=A1-46); its dimethylammonium salt (=A1-47); its tetramethylammonium salt (=A1-48); its ethylammonium salt (=A1-49); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-49); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-50); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-51); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-52); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-53); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-54); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-55); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-56); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-57); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-58); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-59); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-60); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-61); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-62); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-63); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-64); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-65); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-66); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-67); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-68); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-69); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-70); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-71); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-72); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-73); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-74); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-75); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-76); its diethylammonium salt (= its ethylammonium salt (=A1-50); its tetraethylammonium salt (=A1-51); its propylammonium salt (=A1-52); its tetrapropylammonium salt (=A1-53); its isopropylammonium salt (=A1-54); its diisopropylammonium salt (=A1-55); its butylammonium salt (=A1-56); its tetrabutylammonium salt (=A1-57); its (2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium salt (=A1-58); its Bis-N,N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium salt (=A1-59); tris-N,N,N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium salt (=A1-60); 1-phenylethylammonium salt (=A1-61); 2-phenylethylammonium salt (=A1-62); trimethylsulfonium salt (=A1-63); trimethyloxonium salt (=A1-64); pyridinium salt (=A1-65); 2-methylpyridinium salt (=A1-66); -66); its 4-methylpyridinium salt (=A1-67); its 2,4-dimethylpyridinium salt (=A1-68); its 2,6-dimethylpyridinium salt (=A1-69); its piperidinium salt (=A1-70); its imidazolium salt (=A1-71); its morpholinium salt (=A1-72); its 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-7-enium salt (=A1-73); its 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-enium salt (=A1-74); or a compound of formula (II) or a salt thereof [ka] R2 and R3 have the meanings defined in the table below. [Table 1] or a compound of formula (III) (=A1-87), i.e., the sodium salt of compound (A1-83) [ka] or a compound of formula (IV) (=A1-88), i.e., the sodium salt of compound (A1-82) [ka] A sub-group of sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinones (sub-group (A2)) consisting of: Flucarbazone-sodium [CAS RN181274-17-9](=A2-1); Propoxycarbazone-sodium [CAS RN181274-15-7](=A2-2); Thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3); A sub-group of triazolopyrimidines (sub-group (A3)) consisting of: Cloransulam-methyl [147150-35-4] (=A3-1); Diclosulam [CAS RN145701-21-9] (=A3-2); Florasulam [CAS RN145701-23-1] (=A3-3); Flumetsulam [CAS RN98967-40-9] (=A3-4); Metosulam [CAS RN139528-85-1] (=A3-5); Penoxsulam [CAS RN219714-96-2] (=A3-6); Pyroxsulam [CAS RN422556-08-9] (=A3-7); A subgroup of sulfonanilides (subgroup (A4)) consisting of: A compound from the group described by general formula (V) or a salt thereof: [ka] During the ceremony R1 is a halogen, preferably fluorine or chlorine; R2 is hydrogen and R3 is hydroxyl, or R2 and R3 together with the carbon atom to which they are attached form a carbonyl group, C=O; R4 is hydrogen or methyl; More specifically, compounds of the following given chemical structures (A4-1) to (A4-8) [ka] JPEG2024534916000008.jpg87153 A group of imidazolinones (group (B1)) consisting of the following: Imazamethabenz-methyl [CAS RN81405-85-8] (=B1-1); Imazamox [CAS RN114311-32-9] (=B1-2); Imazapic [CAS RN104098-48-8](=B1-3); Imazapyr [CAS RN81334-34-1] (=B1-4); Imazaquin [CAS RN81335-37-7] (=B1-5); Imazethapyr [CAS RN81335-77-5] (=B1-6); SYP-298[CAS RN557064-77-4](=B1-7); SYP-300[CAS RN374718-10-2](=B1-8); The group of pyrimidinyl(thio)benzoates (group (C)) consisting of: A subgroup of pyrimidinyloxybenzoic acids (subgroup (C1)) consisting of: Bispyribac-sodium [CAS RN125401-92-5](=C1-1); Pyribenzoxim [CAS RN168088-61-7](=C1-2); Pyriminobac-methyl [CAS RN136191-64-5](=C1-3); Pyribambenz-isopropyl [CAS RN420138-41-6](=C1-4); Pyribambenz-propyl [CAS RN420138-40-5](=C1-5); A subgroup of pyrimidinylthiobenzoic acids (subgroup (C2)) consisting of: Piriftalid [CAS RN135186-78-6](=C2-1); Pyrithiobac-sodium [CAS RN123343-16-8](=C2-2). Embodiment 24. The ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprises: Amidosulfuron [CAS RN120923-37-7] (=A1-1); Chlorimuron-ethyl [CAS RN90982-32-4] (=A1-4); Ethametsulfuron-methyl [CAS RN97780-06-8] (=A1-8); Ethoxysulfuron [CAS RN126801-58-9] (=A1-9); Flupyrsulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144740-54-5](=A1-12); Foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13); Iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7](=A1-16); Mesosulfuron-methyl [CAS RN208465-21-8] (=A1-17); Metsulfuron-methyl [CAS RN74223-64-6] (=A1-18); Monosulfuron [CAS RN155860-63-2] (=A1-19); Nicosulfuron [CAS RN111991-09-4] (=A1-20); Sulfosulfuron [CAS RN141776-32-1] (=A1-28); Thifensulfuron-methyl [CAS RN79277-27-3] (=A1-29); Tribenuron-methyl [CAS RN101200-48-0] (=A1-31); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide (=A1-39); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide sodium salt (=A1-41); (A1-83) or its sodium salt (=A1-87); Propoxycarbazone-sodium [CAS RN181274-15-7](=A2-2); Thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3); Florasulam [CAS RN145701-23-1] (=A3-3); Metosulam [CAS RN139528-85-1] (=A3-5); Pyroxene [CAS RN422556-08-9] (=A3-7) (A4-1); (A4-2); (A4-3); Imazamox [CAS RN114311-32-9] (=B1-2); and Bispyribac-sodium [CAS RN125401-92-5](=C1-1) 24. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 22 or 23, which belongs to the group consisting of: Embodiment 25. The ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprises: Amidosulfuron [CAS RN120923-37-7] (=A1-1); Foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13); Iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7](=A1-16); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide (=A1-39); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide sodium salt (=A1-41); A1-83 or its sodium salt (=A1-87); Thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3); Imazamox [CAS RN114311-32-9] (=B1-2); Bispyribac-sodium [CAS RN125401-92-5](=C1-1) 24. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 22 or 23, which belongs to the group consisting of: Embodiment 26. Use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 22 or 23, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprises foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3). Embodiment 27. Use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to any of embodiments 22 to 26 in combination with a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide (i.e. a herbicide exhibiting a mode of action other than inhibition of the ALS enzyme [acetohydroxyacid synthase; EC 2.2.1.6] Group D herbicide), wherein the non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is / are: Chloridazon, Clethodim, Clodinafop, Clodinafop-propargyl, Clopyralid, Cycloxydim, Desmedipham, Dimethenamid, Dimethenamid-P, Ethofumesate, Fenoxaprop, Fenoxaprop-P, Fenoxaprop-ethyl, Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, Fluazifop, Fluazifop-P, Fluazifop-butyl, Fluazifop-P-butyl, Glufosinate, Glufosinate-ammonium, Glufosinate-P, Glufosinate-P-ammonium, Glufosinate-P-sodium, Glyphosate, Glyphosate-isopropylammonium, Haloxyfop, Haloxyfop-P, Haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, Haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, Haloxyfop-methyl, Haloxyfop-P-methyl, Lenacil, Metamitron, Phenmedipham, Phenmedipham-ethyl, Propaquizafop, Quimmerac, Quizalofop, Quizalofop-ethyl, Quizalofop-P, Quizalofop-P-ethyl, Quizalofop-P-tefuryl, Sethoxydim The above use, wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of: Embodiment 28. The non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is: Desmedipham, Ethofumesate, Glufosinate, Glufosinate-ammonium, Glufosinate-P, Glufosinate-P-ammonium, Glufosinate-P-sodium, Glyphosate, Glyphosate-isopropylammonium, Lenacil, Metamitron, Phenmedipham, Phenmedipham-ethyl 28. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 27, selected from the group consisting of: Embodiment 29. A method for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris plant growth area, comprising: (a) the presence of a Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 17; (b) application of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) alone or in combination with one or more herbicide(s) not belonging to the class of ALS inhibitor herbicides (non-ALS inhibitor herbicides); and (c) The application of each herbicide defined in (b) (i) performed jointly or simultaneously; or (ii) applied at different times and / or in multiple instalments (sequential application), with a pre-emergence application followed by a post-emergence or early post-emergence application followed by a mid- or late post-emergence application; The above method. Embodiment 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) for controlling undesirable vegetation is taken from the group defined in embodiment 23. Embodiment 31. The method of claim 28, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is taken from the group defined in embodiment 24. Embodiment 32. The method of embodiment 29 for controlling undesirable vegetation, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprises foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3). Embodiment 33. The non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is: Chloridazon, Clethodim, Clodinafop, Clodinafop-propargyl, Clopyralid, Cycloxydim, Desmedipham, Dimethenamid, Dimethenamid-P, Ethofumesate, Fenoxaprop, Fenoxaprop-P, Fenoxaprop-ethyl, Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, Fluazifop, Fluazifop-P, Fluazifop-butyl, Fluazifop-P-butyl, Glufosinate, Glufosinate-ammonium, Glufosinate-P, Glufosinate-P-ammonium, Glufosinate-P-sodium, Glyphosate, Glyphosate-isopropylammonium, Haloxyfop, Haloxyfop-P, Haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, Haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, Haloxyfop-methyl, Haloxyfop-P-methyl, Lenacil, Metamitron, Phenmedipham, Phenmedipham-ethyl, Propaquizafop, Quimmerac, Quizalofop, Quizalofop-ethyl, Quizalofop-P, Quizalofop-P-ethyl, Quizalofop-P-tefuryl, Sethoxydim The method according to any one of embodiments 29 to 32, which is taken from the group consisting of: DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] We unexpectedly discovered natural variation in beet regulatory ALS subunits and identified the best-matched combination of regulatory and catalytic subunits carrying herbicide-resistant mutations to acquire robust BvALS enzyme performance.

[0025] More specifically, the inventors have identified orthologous genes in Beta vulgaris that correspond to the genes encoding the ALS regulatory subunits in Arabidopsis thaliana At2g31810 (amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO:5; nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO:6) and At5g16290 (amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO:7; nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO:8). The Beta vulgaris gene corresponding to At2g31810 is located on chromosome 3 and is hereinafter referred to as BV3_059040, whereas the Beta vulgaris gene corresponding to At5g16290 is located on chromosome 4 and is hereinafter referred to as BV4_074570. The amino acid sequence of the regulatory subunit encoded by BV3_05904 is represented in the sequence listing SEQ ID NO:9, as it may be found in the reference Beta vulgaris genome, and in the nucleotide sequence in SEQ ID NO:10. The amino acid sequence of the regulatory subunit encoded by BV4_074570 is represented in the sequence listing SEQ ID NO:11, as it may be found in the reference Beta vulgaris genome, and in the nucleotide sequence in SEQ ID NO:12.

[0026] The sequence listing entries SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25 and SEQ ID NO:29 represent the amino acid sequences for mutant alleles of BV3_05904 as may be found in B. vulgaris genotype A, B. vulgaris genotype B, B. vulgaris genotype C, B. vulgaris genotype D and B. vulgaris genotype E, respectively.

[0027] The sequence listing entries SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:27 and SEQ ID NO:31 represent the amino acid sequences for mutant alleles of BV4_074570, as may be found in B. vulgaris genotype A; B. vulgaris genotype B; C. vulgaris genotype C, B. vulgaris genotype D and B. vulgaris genotype E, respectively.

[0028] The sequence listing entries SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:26 and SEQ ID NO:30 represent the nucleotide sequences for mutant alleles of BV3_05904 as may be found in B. vulgaris genotype A, B. vulgaris genotype B, B. vulgaris genotype C, B. vulgaris genotype D and B. vulgaris genotype E, respectively.

[0029] The sequence listing entries SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:28 and SEQ ID NO:32 represent the nucleotide sequence for a variant allele of BV4_074570 as may be found in B. vulgaris genotype A, B. vulgaris genotype B, B. vulgaris genotype C, B. vulgaris genotype D and B. vulgaris genotype E, respectively.

[0030] Thus, in a first aspect, the present invention provides an ALS inhibitor herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris plant or seed comprising an ALS holoenzyme comprising an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least 95%, or at least 96%, or at least 97%, or at least 98%, or at least 99% sequence identity to or is identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 in place of naturally occurring tryptophan; and an ALS small subunit comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least 95%, or at least 96%, or at least 97%, or at least 98%, or at least 99% sequence identity to or is identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29 or SEQ ID NO:31. The small subunit may be encoded by a nucleotide sequence having at least 95%, or at least 96%, or at least 97%, or at least 98%, or at least 99% sequence identity to or identical to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20; SEQ ID NO:22; SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:28; SEQ ID NO:30 or SEQ ID NO:32.

[0031] The Beta vulgaris plants described herein may contain both Bv3_059040 and Bv4_074570 of the same genotypes A through E. vulgaris plants may comprise, in addition to the herbicide-resistant ALS large subunit, an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:13, and may further comprise an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:15; or an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:17, and may further comprise an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:19; or an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:21. or may comprise an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:25 and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:27; or may comprise an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29 and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:31.

[0032] A preferred herbicide-resistant large subunit of the ALS holoenzyme is encoded by the allele BvALS_W569L. As used herein, the BvALS_W569L allele is a mutant allele of the endogenous Beta vulgaris ALS gene that encodes an ALS protein in which the amino acid at position 569 is leucine instead of the naturally occurring tryptophan. Such a mutant allele confers resistance to various ALS inhibitor herbicides to a Beta vulgaris plant comprising it, as described in more detail below. The ALS protein in which the amino acid at position 569 is leucine instead of the naturally occurring tryptophan is set forth in SEQ ID NO:3. An ALS protein in which the amino acid at position 569 is leucine instead of the naturally occurring tryptophan, however, may vary at amino acid positions other than 569, provided that the amino acid sequence contains a leucine at position 569, and may have an amino acid sequence that has at least 90, 95, 97, 98, or 99% sequence identity or is 100% identical to the polypeptide or protein encoded by BvALS_W697L as set forth in SEQ ID NO:3.

[0033] The BvALS_W569L allele may comprise the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, in which a transversion of the "G" nucleotide at the position corresponding to position 1706 to a "T" nucleotide has occurred compared to the wild type allele. The ALS allele may also vary at a nucleotide position other than 1706, provided that it contains a TTG codon at positions 1705-1707 of SEQ ID NO:4, and may have a nucleotide sequence that has at least 90, 95, 97, 98, or 99% sequence identity or is identical to the nucleotide sequence of BvALS_W697L set forth in SEQ ID NO:4.

[0034] Beta vulgaris plants comprising the BvALS_W569L allele are less sensitive to ALS inhibitors, more preferably at least 100 times, more preferably 500 times, even more preferably 1000 times, and most preferably 2000 times less sensitive than Beta vulgaris plants comprising the wild-type allele. Less sensitive, as used herein, may be considered as "more tolerant" or "more resistant," and vice versa. Similarly, more tolerant or more resistant may be considered as "less sensitive," and vice versa. For example, B. vulgaris plants comprising the BvALS_W569L allele are at least 2000-fold less sensitive to the ALS inhibitor herbicide foramsulfuron (a member of the ALS inhibitor subclass "sulfonylurea herbicides") compared to B. vulgaris plants comprising the BvALS wild-type allele.

[0035] As used herein, BvALS-WT or "wild-type allele", "wild-type ALS allele", "wild-type ALS gene" or "wild-type ALS polynucleotide" refers to a nucleotide sequence encoding an ALS protein lacking the W569L substitution. Reference nucleotide and amino acid sequences corresponding to such BvALS_WT or encoded protein are set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:1, respectively.

[0036] Preferably, BvALS_W569L comprises as the only mutation a substitution in the encoded ALS protein at position 569. A reference B. vulgaris seed comprising the BvALS_W569L allele has been deposited under NCIMB41705.

[0037] The gene encoding the ALS small subunit can be identified by marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34) and marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35) for Bv3_059040, or marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36) for Bv4_074570.

[0038] The ALS small subunit Bv3_059040 is encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 3, between a marker selected from marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 37), marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38) or marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39) and a marker selected from marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 43), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 44) or marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 45).

[0039] The ALS small subunit Bv4_074570 is encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 4, between a marker selected from marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 41) or marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 42) and a marker selected from marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 46), marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47) or marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48).

[0040] Therefore, in another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a Beta vulgaris plant or seed comprising an ALS holoenzyme comprising an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 instead of naturally occurring tryptophan; and an ALS small subunit which may be selected by identification with marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34), marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35) or marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36), in particular wherein said ALS small subunit is selected from marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 37), marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38) or marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39) and a marker and / or wherein the ALS small subunit is encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 3 between a marker selected from marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 41) or marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 42) and a marker selected from marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 46), marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47) or marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48).

[0041] The genome sequence of the complete sequence for beet has been published and can be found at the EnsemblPlants website https: / / plants.ensembl.org / Beta_vulgaris / Info / Index under RefBeet1.2.2Accession GCA_000511025 (https: / / www.ebi.ac.uk / ena / browser / view / GCA_000511025.2). Those skilled in the art can therefore easily locate the marker nucleotide sequences provided herein in the complete genome sequence of beet by sequence comparison using computer programs and algorithms. For example, BLAST, which stands for Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (Altschul, Nucl. Acids Res. 25 (1997), 3389-3402; Altschul, J. Mol. Evol. 36 (1993), 290-300; Altschul, J. Mol. Biol. 215 (1990), 403-410), can be used to search for local sequence alignments.

[0042] Once the nucleotide sequences of the markers described herein have been physically assigned to corresponding positions in a genomic nucleotide sequence map, one skilled in the art can identify the physical size, in kilobases, of the chromosome 3 or 4 fragment that flanks such marker and can infer the consensus nucleotide sequence of the fragment that flanks such marker.

[0043] Markers can be used to identify the plants of the present invention using any genotyping method. Plant genotyping evaluation includes using techniques such as isozyme electrophoresis, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction technology (AP-PCR), allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR), DNA amplification fingerprinting (DAF), sequence characterized amplified regions (SCAR), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), simple sequence repeats (SSR) (also called "microsatellite"). Further compositions and methods of analyzing plant genotypes provided herein include those methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004 / 0171027, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005 / 02080506, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005 / 0283858.

[0044] A particularly useful assay method for genotyping single nucleotide polymorphism markers is the KASP assay (competitive allele-specific PCR), as described, for example, by Chunlin He, John Holme and Jeffrey Anthony in "SNP genotyping: the KASP assay" Methods Mol Biol 2014;1145:75-86 doi: 10.1007 / 978-1-4939-0446-4_7.

[0045] In the Beta vulgaris plants and seeds provided herein, the allele(s) encoding the catalytic subunit or the allele(s) encoding the regulatory subunit may be present in a homozygous or heterozygous state. As used herein, "homozygous" or "homozygously" refers to a plant having copies of the same allele at the same locus in each of the corresponding chromosomes of a diploid pair of chromosomes. As used herein, "heterozygous" or "heterozygously" refers to a plant having copies of different alleles at the same locus in each of the corresponding chromosomes of a diploid pair of chromosomes.

[0046] Also described are Beta vulgaris plants, particularly elite Beta vulgaris plants, e.g., sugar beet plants, which comprise the alleles or DNA molecules described herein in a homozygous or heterozygous state and can be used as parent plants to obtain hybrid Beta vulgaris plants or seeds described herein. For this purpose, such plants are cross-pollinated and progeny seeds are harvested. One of the parent plants may be male sterile (female plant) and may be pollinated by pollen from a male parent plant. Methods for obtaining male sterile Beta vulgaris plants are well known in the art.

[0047] The B. vulgaris plants and their harvestable parts of the present invention are agronomically usable. "Agronomically usable" means that the B. vulgaris plants and their parts are useful for agricultural purposes. For example, the B. vulgaris plants should be useful for the purposes of sugar production, biofuel production (e.g., biogas, biobutanol), ethanol production, betaine and / or uridine production, and the use of the hybrid Beta vulgaris plants described herein for the production of sugars, ethanol, betaine and / or uridine is also envisioned. The B. vulgaris plants or their parts can be used to produce animal feed.

[0048] A "Beta vulgaris species plant" or "Beta vulgaris plant" is specifically a plant of the subspecies Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris. For example, the numbering between these is Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris var. altissima (more narrowly sugar beet), Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. vulgaris (chard), Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. conditiva (beetroot / red beet), Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. crassa / alba (fodder beet).

[0049] An example of an agriculturally exploitable B. vulgaris plant is the sugar beet. The sugar beet plant of the present invention, when cultivated on an area of ​​1 hectare yielding (approximately 80,000 to 90,000 sugar beets), should preferably be useful for the production of at least 4 tons of sugar.

[0050] The sugar beet plant of the present invention should preferably contain a sugar content of 15-20%, preferably at least 17%, to be agronomically usable, and therefore a sugar beet plant containing a sugar content of 15-20%, preferably at least 17%, is a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Yet another example of an agriculturally exploitable B. vulgaris plant is fodder beet.

[0052] Another aspect of the present invention is the use of a Beta vulgaris plant as described herein and / or a harvestable part or propagation material as described herein for the production / breeding of further Beta vulgaris plants.

[0053] In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a Beta vulgaris plant with an optimally adapted large subunit of ALS holoenzyme and one or more regulatory subunits, the method comprising: a) crossing a Beta vulgaris plant comprising an allele encoding an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 instead of naturally occurring tryptophan, with a Beta vulgaris plant comprising at least one allele encoding an ALS small subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29 or SEQ ID NO:31; and identifying a progeny plant comprising said allele encoding said ALS large subunit and said at least one allele encoding said ALS regulatory subunit.

[0054] Identification of the at least one allele encoding the ALS regulatory subunit may be achieved by the identification of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34), marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35), marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 37), marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 43), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 44), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 45), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 46), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 49), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 50), marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52), marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 53), marker M18 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 54), marker M19 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 55), marker M20 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 56), marker M21 (comprising the nucleotide sequence This can be achieved using any one of the markers M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 44), M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 45), M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40), M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 41), M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 42), M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 46), M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47) or M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48).

[0055] Yet another method of producing a Beta vulgaris plant with an optimally adapted large subunit of the ALS holoenzyme and one or more regulatory subunits is described, comprising the steps of: endowing a Beta vulgaris plant with an allele encoding an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, e.g., the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 instead of naturally occurring tryptophan; and adapting the nucleotide sequence of the allele in chromosome 3 and / or the allele in chromosome 4, encoding the ALS small subunit, by genome editing or directed mutation to obtain a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20; SEQ ID NO:22; SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:28; SEQ ID NO:30 or SEQ ID NO:32.

[0056] Genome editing or targeted editing technology refers to any method, protocol, or technology that allows precise and / or targeted editing (e.g., editing is not random) of specific locations in the genome. Without limitation, the use of site-specific nucleases is an example of a targeted editing technology.

[0057] As used herein, "editing" or "genomic editing" refers to the targeted mutagenesis, insertion, deletion, or substitution of at least 1, at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, at least 7, at least 8, at least 9, at least 10, at least 15, at least 20, at least 25, at least 30, at least 35, at least 40, at least 45, at least 50, at least 75, at least 100, at least 250, at least 500, at least 1000, at least 2500, at least 5000, at least 10,000, or at least 25,000 nucleotides of an endogenous plant genomic nucleic acid sequence.

[0058] Genome editing or targeted editing can be performed through the use of one or more site-specific nucleases. Site-specific nucleases can induce double-strand breaks (DSBs) at the target site of the genome sequence, which are then repaired by either the natural process of homologous recombination (HR) or non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Sequence modifications, such as insertions, deletions, can occur at the location of the DSB through NHEJ repair. HR can be used to integrate a donor nucleic acid sequence into the target site. Once two DSBs flanking one target region are created, the break can be repaired through NHEJ by reversing the orientation of the targeted DNA (also referred to as "inversion").

[0059] The site-specific nuclease provided herein can be used as part of targeted editing technology.Non-limiting examples of the site-specific nuclease used in the methods and / or compositions provided herein include meganuclease, zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN), RNA-guided nuclease (e.g., Cas9 and Cpfl), recombinase (e.g., without limitation, serine recombinase attached to DNA recognition motif, tyrosine recombinase attached to DNA recognition motif), transposase (e.g., without limitation, DNA transposase attached to DNA binding domain), or any combination thereof.In one embodiment, the method provided herein comprises the use of one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, or five or more site-specific nucleases to induce one, two, three, four, five, or more DSBs at one, two, three, four, five, or more target sites.

[0060] The RNA-guided nuclease may be selected from the group consisting of Cas9 or Cpfl.

[0061] In another embodiment, the site-specific nuclease provided herein is selected from the group consisting of Casl, CaslB, Cas2, Cas3, Cas4, Cas5, Cas6, Cas7, Cas8, Cas9, CaslO, Csyl, Csy2, Csy3, Csel, Cse2, Cscl, Csc2, Csa5, Csn2, Csm2, Csm3, Csm4, Csm5, Csm6, Cmrl, Cmr3, Cmr4, Cmr5, Cmr6, Csbl, Csb2, Csb3, Csxl7, Csxl4, CsxlO, Csxl6, CsaX, Csx3, Csxl, Csxl5, Csfl, Csf2, Csf3, Csf4, Cpfl, homologs thereof, or modified versions thereof. In another embodiment, the RNA-guided nuclease provided herein is selected from the group consisting of Cas9 or Cpfl. In another embodiment, the RNA-guided nuclease provided herein is selected from the group consisting of Casl, CaslB, Cas2, Cas3, Cas4, Cas5, Cas6, Cas7, Cas8, Cas9, CaslO, Csyl, Csy2, Csy3, Csel, Cse2, Cscl, Csc2, CsaS, Csn2, Csm2, Csm3, Csm4, CsmS, Csm6, Cmrl, Cmr3, Cmr4, Cmr5, Cmr6, Csbl, Csb2, Csb3, Csxl7, Csxl4, CsxlO, Csx16, CsaX, Csx3, Csxl, Csxl5, Csfl, Csf2, Csf3, Csf4, Cpfl, homologs thereof, or modified versions thereof.

[0062] RNA-guided nucleases require the presence of a guide RNA and / or a tracrRNA targeted to a nucleic acid of interest. The design of such guide RNAs or single guide RNAs is well established in the art.

[0063] In some jurisdictions, plant products obtained exclusively by essentially biological processes may be excluded from patentability. "Exclusively obtained by essentially biological processes" refers to products obtained by processes that do not require any technical or human intervention. An essentially biological process refers to a process that results entirely from natural phenomena, e.g., breeding or selection. In one particular embodiment, the present invention may relate to a Beta vulgaris plant as described herein that is not exclusively obtained by essentially biological processes, more particularly, that is not obtained entirely from natural phenomena, e.g., breeding or selection.

[0064] In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris growing area, wherein the Beta vulgaris plant is a Beta vulgaris plant as described herein.

[0065] The ALS inhibitor herbicide may belong to any one of those listed in the above numbered embodiments of the present invention. The "CAS RN" listed in square brackets after the names (common names) mentioned under groups A to C corresponds to the "Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number", a conventional reference number that allows the named substance to be unambiguously classified, since the "CAS RN" distinguishes, among other things, between isomers, including stereoisomers. The listed compounds are further indicated by numbers in brackets, such as A1-1, which are further used below.

[0066] In the context of the present invention, "tolerance" or "tolerant" means that one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belonging to any of groups (A), (B), (C) as defined above, when applied to Beta vulgaris plants, in particular sugar beet or fodder beet, as described herein, do not show any apparent effect(s) on physiology / phytotoxicity, whereas application of the same amount of the respective ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) to non-tolerant Beta vulgaris plants leads to significant negative effects on plant growth, its physiology or shows phytotoxic symptoms. The nature and amount of the observed effect may depend on the chemical composition, application rate and timing of application of the respective ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) applied, as well as the growth state / stage of the plants being treated.

[0067] Useful ALS inhibitor herbicides include foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3).

[0068] Another ALS inhibitor herbicide that may be used to control undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet) growing area, where the Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet) plant is a B. vulgaris plant described herein, is imazamox [CAS RN114311-32-9] (=B1-2).

[0069] Another ALS inhibitor herbicide that may be used to control undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet) growing area, where the Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet) plant is a B. vulgaris plant as described herein, is Bispyribac-sodium [CAS RN125401-92-5] (=C1-1).

[0070] Another ALS inhibitor herbicide that may be used for control of undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet) growing area, where the Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet) plant is a B. vulgaris plant described herein, is triflusulfuron-methyl.

[0071] In addition, the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) used in B. vulgaris plants described herein may comprise or be used together with further components, such as agriculturally active compounds with different types of action modes and / or formulation auxiliaries and / or additives customary in crop protection.

[0072] In a preferred embodiment, the herbicide combination used according to the present invention comprises an effective amount of ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belonging to group (A), (B) and / or (C) and / or has synergistic effect.Synergistic effect can be observed, for example, when one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belonging to group (A), (B) and / or (C) are applied together, for example, as a coformulation or as a tank mix; however, they can also be observed when active compounds are applied at different times (split application).For example, herbicide or herbicide combination can be applied in multiple split applications (sequential application), for example, pre-emergence application, followed by post-emergence application or early post-emergence application, followed by mid- or late post-emergence application.

[0073] Concomitant or near simultaneous application of ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and / or (C) of the subject combinations is contemplated herein.

[0074] Synergistic effects allow for reduced application rates of individual ALS inhibitor herbicides, higher efficacy at the same application rate, control of species not yet controlled (gaps), control of species that are tolerant or resistant to individual ALS inhibitor herbicides or to multiple ALS inhibitor herbicides, extended application periods, and / or reduced individual application times required, which are economically and ecologically more advantageous, and - as a consequence for the user - a reduction in the weed control system.

[0075] The herbicides used in accordance with the present invention are all acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicides (which may alternatively and interchangeably be termed "ALS-inhibiting herbicides") and therefore inhibit protein biosynthesis in plants.

[0076] The application rates of the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) or (C) (as defined above) can vary within wide ranges, for example from 0.001 g to 1500 g ai / ha (ai / ha here and below means "active substance per hectare" based on 100% pure active compound). Herbicides belonging to classes A, B and C according to the invention, preferably compounds A1-1; A1-4; A1-8; A1-9; A1-12; A1-13; A1-16; A1-17; A1-18; A1-19; A1-20; A1-28; A1-29; A1-31; A1-39; A1-41; A1-83; A1-87; A2-2; A2-3; A3-3; A3-5; A3-7, A4-3, when used by the control, pre-emergence and post-emergence method, are applied at an application rate of 0.001 g20 to 1500 g ai / ha against a relatively wide range of harmful plants, such as annual and perennial monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weeds, and also undesirable crop plants (also defined jointly as "undesirable vegetation").

[0077] In many applications according to the invention, the application rates are, for example, in the range of 0.001 g to 1000 g ai / ha, preferably 300.1 g to 500 g ai / ha, particularly preferably 0.5 g to 250 g ai / ha, and even more preferably 1.0 g to 200 g ai / ha, and generally lower. When several applications of ALS inhibitor herbicides are made, the amounts refer to the total amounts of all applied ALS inhibitor herbicides.

[0078] For example, the combination of ALS inhibitor herbicides (belonging to groups (A), (B) and / or (C)) according to the present invention can significantly and unexpectedly synergistically improve the activity in a manner that exceeds the activity that can be achieved using the individual ALS inhibitor herbicides (belonging to groups (A), (B) and / or (C)). Preferred conditions for the combination of ALS inhibitor herbicides are exemplified below.

[0079] Of particular interest according to the present invention is the use of a herbicide composition for controlling undesirable vegetation in Beta vulgaris plants, preferably sugar beet or fodder beet plants, having the following ALS inhibitor herbicide moieties: (A1-1)+(A1-4);(A1-1)+(A1-8);(A1-1)+(A1-9);(A1-1)+(A1-12); (A1-1)+(A1-13);(A1-1)+(A1-16);(A1-1)+(A1-17);(A1-1)+(A1-18); (A1-1)+(A1-19);(A1-1)+(A1-20);(A1-1)+(A1-28);(A1-1)+(A1-29); (A1-1)+(A1-31);(A1-1)+(A1-39);(A1-1)+(A1-41);(A1-1)+(A1-83); (A1-1)+(A1-87);(A1-1)+(A2-2);(A1-1)+(A2-3);(A1-1)+(A3-3); (A1-1)+(A3-5);(A1-1)+(A3-7);(A1-1)+(A4-1);(A1-1)+(A4-2);(A1-1)+(A4-3); (A1-4)+(A1-8);(A1-4)+(A1-9);(A1-4)+(A1-12);(A1-4)+(A1-13); (A1-4)+(A1-16);(A1-4)+(A1-17);(A1-4)+(A1-18);(A1-4)+(A1-19); (A1-4)+(A1-20);(A1-4)+(A1-28);(A1-4)+(A1-29);(A1-4)+(A1-31); (A1-4)+(A1-39);(A1-4)+(A1-41);(A1-4)+(A1-83);(A1-4)+(A1-87); (A1-4)+(A2-2);(A1-4)+(A2-3);(A1-4)+(A3-3);(A1-4)+(A3-5); (A1-4)+(A3-7);(A1-4)+(A4-1);(A1-4)+(A4-2);(A1-4)+(A4-3); (A1-8)+(A1-9);(A1-8)+(A1-12);(A1-8)+(A1-13);(A1-8)+(A1-16); (A1-8)+(A1-17);(A1-8)+(A1-18);(A1-8)+(A1-19);(A1-8)+(A1-20); (A1-8)+(A1-28);(A1-8)+(A1-29);(A1-8)+(A1-31);(A1-8)+(A1-39); (A1-8)+(A1-41);(A1-8)+(A1-83);(A1-8)+(A1-87);(A1-8)+(A2-2); (A1-8)+(A2-3);(A1-8)+(A3-3);(A1-8)+(A3-5);(A1-8)+(A3-7); A1-8)+(A4-1);(A1-8)+(A4-2);(A1-8)+(A4-3); (A1-9)+(A1-12);(A1-9)+(A1-13);(A1-9)+(A1-16);(A1-9)+(A1-17); (A1-9)+(A1-18);(A1-9)+(A1-19);(A1-9)+(A1-20);(A1-9)+(A1-28); (A1-9)+(A1-29);(A1-9)+(A1-31);(A1-9)+(A1-39);(A1-9)+(A1-41); (A1-9)+(A1-83);(A1-9)+(A1-87);(A1-9)+(A2-2);(A1-9)+(A2-3); (A1-9)+(A3-3);(A1-9)+(A3-5);(A1-9)+(A3-7);(A1-9)+(A4-1); (A1-9)+(A4-2);(A1-9)+(A4-3); (A1-12)+(A1-13);(A1-12)+(A1-16);(A1-12)+(A1-17);(A1-12)+(A1-18); (A1-12)+(A1-19);(A1-12)+(A1-20);(A1-12)+(A1-28);(A1-12)+(A1-29); (A1-12)+(A1-31);(A1-12)+(A1-39);(A1-12)+(A1-41);(A1-12)+(A1-83); (A1-12)+(A1-87);(A1-12)+(A2-2);(A1-12)+(A2-3);(A1-12)+(A3-3); (A1-12)+(A3-5);(A1-12)+(A3-7);(A1-12)+(A4-1);(A1-12)+(A4-2);(A1-12)+ (A4-3); (A1-13)+(A1-16);(A1-13)+(A1-17);(A1-13)+(A1-18);(A1-13)+(A1-19); (A1-13)+(A1-20);(A1-13)+(A1-28);(A1-13)+(A1-29);(A1-13)+(A1-31); (A1-13)+(A1-39);(A1-13)+(A1-41);(A1-13)+(A1-83);(A1-13)+(A1-87); (A1-13)+(A2-2);(A1-13)+(A2-3);(A1-13)+(A3-3);(A1-13)+(A3-5); (A1-13)+(A3-7);(A1-13)+(A4-1);(A1-13)+(A4-2);(A1-13)+(A4-3); (A1-16)+(A1-17);(A1-16)+(A1-18);(A1-16)+(A1-19);(A1-16)+(A1-20); (A1-16)+(A1-28);(A1-16)+(A1-29);(A1-16)+(A1-31);(A1-16)+(A1-39); (A1-16)+(A1-41);(A1-16)+(A1-83);(A1-16)+(A1-87);(A1-16)+(A2-2); 30(A1-16)+(A2-3);(A1-16)+(A3-3);(A1-16)+(A3-5);(A1-16)+(A3-7); (A1-16)+(A4-1);(A1-16)+(A4-2);(A1-16)+(A4-3); A1-17)+(A1-18);(A1-17)+(A1-19);(A1-17)+(A1-20);(A1-17)+(A1-28); (A1-17)+(A1-29);(A1-17)+(A1-31);(A1-17)+(A1-39);(A1-17)+(A1-41); (A1-17)+(A1-83);(A1-17)+(A1-87);(A1-17)+(A2-2);(A1-17)+(A2-3); (A1-17)+(A3-3);(A1-17)+(A3-5);(A1-17)+(A3-7);(A1-17)+(A4-1); (A1-17)+(A4-2);(A1-17)+(A4-3); (A1-18)+(A1-19);(A1-18)+(A1-20);(A1-18)+(A1-28);(A1-18)+(A1-29); (A1-18)+(A1-31);(A1-18)+(A1-39);(A1-18)+(A1-41);(A1-18)+(A1-83);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-18)+(A1-87);(A1-18)+(A2-2);(A1-18)+(A2-3);(A1-18)+(A3-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-18)+(A3-5);(A1-18)+(A3-7);(A1-18)+(A4-1);(A1-18)+(A4-2);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-18)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-19)+(A1-20);(A1-19)+(A1-28);(A1-19)+(A1-29);(A1-19)+(A1-31);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-19)+(A1-39);(A1-19)+(A1-41);(A1-19)+(A1-83);(A1-19)+(A1-87);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-19)+(A2-2);(A1-19)+(A2-3);(A1-19)+(A3-3);(A1-19)+(A3-5);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-19)+(A3-7);(A1-19)+(A4-1);(A1-19)+(A4-2);(A1-19)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-20)+(A1-28);(A1-20)+(A1-29);(A1-20)+(A1-31);(A1-20)+(A1-39);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-20)+(A1-41);(A1-20)+(A1-83);(A1-20)+(A1-87);(A1-20)+(A2-2);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-20)+(A2-3);(A1-20)+(A3-3);(A1-20)+(A3-5);(A1-20)+(A3-7);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-20)+(A4-1);(A1-20)+(A4-2);(A1-20)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-28)+(A1-29);(A1-28)+(A1-31);(A1-28)+(A1-39);(A1-28)+(A1-41);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-28)+(A1-83);(A1-28)+(A1-87);(A1-28)+(A2-2);(A1-28)+(A2-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-28)+(A3-3);(A1-28)+(A3-5);(A1-28)+(A3-7);(A1-28)+(A4-1);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr">(A1-28)+(A4-2);(A1-28)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-29)+(A1-31);(A1-29)+(A1-39);(A1-29)+(A1-41);(A1-29)+(A1-83);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-29)+(A1-87);(A1-29)+(A2-2);(A1-29)+(A2-3);(A1-29)+(A3-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-29)+(A3-5);(A1-29)+(A3-7);(A1-29)+(A4-1);(A1-29)+(A4-2);(A1-29)+<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-31)+(A1-39);(A1-31)+(A1-41);(A1-31)+(A1-83);(A1-31)+(A1-87);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-31)+(A2-2);(A1-31)+(A2-3);(A1-31)+(A3-3);(A1-31)+(A3-5);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-31)+(A3-7);(A1-31)+(A4-1);(A1-31)+(A4-2);(A1-31)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-39)+(A1-41);(A1-39)+(A1-83);(A1-39)+(A1-87);(A1-39)+(A2-2);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-39)+(A2-3);(A1-39)+(A3-3);(A1-39)+(A3-5);(A1-39)+(A3-7);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-39)+(A4-1);(A1-39)+(A4-2);(A1-39)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-41)+(A1-83);(A1-41)+(A1-87);(A1-41)+(A2-2);(A1-41)+(A2-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-41)+(A3-3);(A1-41)+(A3-5);(A1-41)+(A3-7);(A1-41)+(A4-1);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-41)+(A4-2);(A1-41)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-83)+(A2-2);(A1-83)+(A2-3);(A1-83)+(A3-3);(A1-83)+(A3-5);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-83)+(A3-7);(A1-83)+(A4-1);(A1-83)+(A4-2);(A1-83)+(A4-3); (A1-87)+(A2-2);(A1-87)+(A2-3);(A1-87)+(A3-3);(A1-87)+(A3-5); (A1-87)+(A3-7);(A1-87)+(A4-1);(A1-87)+(A4-2);(A1-87)+(A4-3); (A2-2)+(A2-3);(A2-2)+(A3-3);(A2-2)+(A3-5);(A2-2)+(A3-7); (A2-2)+(A4-1);(A2-2)+(A4-2);(A2-2)+(A4-3); (A2-3)+(A3-3);(A2-3)+(A3-5);(A2-3)+(A3-7); (A2-3)+(A4-1);(A2-3)+(A4-2);(A2-3)+(A4-3); (A3-3)+(A3-5);(A3-3)+(A3-7); (A3-3)+(A4-1);(A3-3)+(A4-2);(A3-3)+(A4-3); (A3-5)+(A3-7);(A3-5)+(A4-1);(A3-5)+(A4-2);(A3-5)+(A4-3); (A3-7)+(A4-1);(A3-7)+(A4-2);(A3-7)+(A4-3); (A-1)+(A4-2);(A4-1)+(A4-3);and (A4-2)+(A4-3).

[0080] In addition, the ALS inhibitor herbicides used according to the invention may comprise or be used together with further components, for example agriculturally active compounds of different types of action modes and / or formulation auxiliaries and / or additives customary in crop protection.

[0081] The ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) or a combination of different such ALS inhibitor herbicides used according to the invention may comprise different agronomically active compounds, for example from the groups of the antidotes, fungicides, insecticides or from the group of formulation auxiliaries and additives customary in crop protection.

[0082] In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to using effective amounts of an ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) (i.e., a member of Groups (A), (B) and / or (C)) and a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide (i.e., a herbicide that exhibits a different mode of action for inhibition of the ALS enzyme [acetohydroxyacid synthase; EC 2.2.1.6] (Group D herbicides)) to obtain a synergistic effect in controlling undesirable vegetation.

[0083] Such synergistic effects can be observed, for example, when one or more ALS inhibitor herbicides (i.e., members of groups (A), (B) and / or (C)) and one or more non-ALS inhibitor herbicides (group D herbicides) are applied together, for example, as a coformulation or as a tank mix; however, they can also be observed when the active compounds are applied at different times (split application). The ALS inhibitor herbicides and non-ALS inhibitor herbicides can also be applied in multiple applications (sequential application), for example, with a pre-emergence application, followed by a post-emergence application or an early post-emergence application, followed by a mid- or late post-emergence application. Here, joint or near-simultaneous application of the subject combination herbicides ((A), (B) and / or (C)) and (D) is preferred.

[0084] Suitable partner herbicides to be applied together with the ALS inhibitor herbicides have been published in each case by the British Crop Protection Council (hereinafter also referred to briefly as “PM”) and are described in the documents cited here, for example in Weed Research 26, 441-445 (1986), or in “The Pesticide Manual”, 14th edition, The British Crop Protection Council, 2007, or in the 15th edition 2010, or in the corresponding “ePesticide Manual”, Version 5 (2010), for example the following herbicides which are structurally different from the herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C) defined above, preferably herbicidally active compounds whose action is based on, for example, the inhibition of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, PSI, PSII, HPPDO, phytoene desaturase, protoporphyrinogen oxidase, glutamine synthase, cellulose biosynthesis, 5-enol-pyruvyl-shikimate 3-phosphate synthase. A list of common names is also available on the Internet in "The Compendium of Pesticide Common Names". Herbicides known from the literature (hereinafter in brackets after the common name, which is also classified by the designation symbols D1 to D426) which may be combined with the ALS-inhibitor herbicides of groups (A), (B) and / or (C) and used according to the invention are, for example, the active compounds listed below: (Note: the herbicides are referred to either by the "common name" according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), if necessary together with the customary code number, or by the chemical name, unless the context indicates otherwise, and in each case include all use forms, e.g. acids, salts, esters and isomers, e.g. stereoisomers and optical isomers, in particular the commercially available form(s). The list given is for one use form and in some cases for two or more use forms): acetochlor (=D1), acibenzolar (=D2), acibenzolar-S-methyl (=D3), acifluorfen (=D4),Acifluorfen-sodium (=D5), Aclonifen (=D6), Alachlor (=D7), Allidochlor (=D8), Alloxydim (=D9), Alloxydim-sodium (=D10), Ametryn (=D11), Amicarbazone (=D12), Amidochlor (=D13), Aminocyclopyrachlor (=D14), Aminopyralid (=D15), Amitrole (=D16), Ammonium sulfamate (=D17), Ancymidol (=D18), Anilofos (=D19), Asuram (=D20), Atrazine (=D21), Azaphenidin (=D22), aziprothrin (=D23), beflubutamid (=D24), benazolin (=D25), benazolin-ethyl (=D26), bencarbazone (=D27), benfluralin (=D28), benfuresate (=D29), bensulide (=D30), bentazon (=D31), benzfendizone (=D32), benzobicyclon (=D33), benzofenap (=D34), benzofluor (=D35), benzoylprop (=D36), bicyclopyrone (=D37), bifenox (=D38), biranafos (=D39), biranafos Phos-sodium (=D40), bromacil (=D41), bromobutide (=D42), bromofenoxime (=D43), bromoxynil (=D44), bromulon (=D45), buminafos (=D46), busoxynone (=D47), butachlor (=D48), butafenacil (=D49), butamifos (=D50), butenachlor (=D51), butralin (=D52), butroxydim (=D53), butyrate (=D54), cafenstrole (=D55), carbetamide (=D56), carfentrazone (=D57), carfentra ethyl (=D58), chlormethoxyfen (=D59), chloramben (=D60), chloradifop (=D61), chloradifop-butyl (=D62), chlorbromuron (=D63), chlorbufam (=D64), chlorfenac (=D65), chlorfenac-sodium (=D66), chlorfenprop (=D67), chlorflurenol (=D68), chlorflurenol-methyl (=D69), chloridazon (=D70), chlormequat-chloride (=D71), chlornitrofen (=D72), chlorophthalim (=D73),Chlorthal-dimethyl (=D74), chlorotoluron (=D75), cinidon (=D76), cinidon-ethyl (=D77), cinmethylin (=D78), clethodim (=D79), clodinafop (=D80), clodinafop-propargyl (=D81), clofencet (=D82), clomazone (=D83), clomeprop (=D84), cloprop (=D85), clopyralid (=D86), cloransulam (=D87), cloransulam-methyl (=D88), cumyluron (=D89), cyanamide (=D90), cyanazine ( =D91), cyclanilide (=D92), cycloate (=D93), cycloxydim (=D94), cyclouron (=D95), cyhalofop (=D96), cyhalofop-butyl (=D97), cypercort (=D98), cyprazine (=D99), cyprazole (=D100), 2,4-D (=D101), 2,4-DB (=D102), daimuron / dymron (=D103), dalapon (=D104), daminozide (=D105), dazomet (=D106), n-decanol (=D-107), des- Medipham (=D108), Desmetryn (=D109), Detosyl-pyrazolate (=D110), Diallate (=D111), Dicamba (=D112), Dichlobenil (=D113), Dichlorprop (=D114), Dichlorprop-P (=D115), Diclofop (=D116), Diclofop-methyl (=D117), Diclofop-P-methyl (=D118), Diethathyl (=D119), Diethathyl-ethyl (=D120), Difenoxuron (=D121), Difenzoquat (=D122), Diflufenican (=D1 23), diflufenzopyr (=D124), diflufenzopyr-sodium (=D125), dimefuron (=D126), dikeglac-sodium (=D127), dimefuron (=D128), dimepiperate (=D129), dimethachlor (=D130), dimethamethrin (=D131), dimethenamid (=D132), dimethenamid-P (=D133), dimethipine (=D134), dimetrasulfuron (=D135), dinitramine (=D136), dinoseb (=D137), dinoterb (=D138), diphenamide (=D139),Dipropetrine (=D140), diquat (=D141), diquat-dibromide (=D142), dithiopyr (=D143), diuron (=D144), DNOC (=D145), eglinadine-ethyl (=D146), endothal (=D147), EPTC (=D148), esprocarb (=D149), ethalfluralin (=D150), ethephon (=D151), etidimuron (=D152), ethiozin (=D153), ethofumesate (=D154), ethoxyphene (= D155), ethoxyphene-ethyl (=D156), etobenzanide (=D157), F-5331 (=2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-[4-(3-fluoropropyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1H-tetrazol-1-yl]-phenyl]ethanesulfonamide) (=D158), F-7967 (=3-[7-chloro-5-fluoro-2-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-10benzimidazol-4-yl]-1-methyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidine-2,4(1 H,3H)-dione) (=D159), fenoprop (=D160), fenoxaprop (=D161), fenoxaprop-P (=D162), fenoxaprop-ethyl (=D163), fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (=D164), fenoxasulfone (=D165), fentrazamide (=D166), fenuron (=D167), flamprop (=D168), flamprop-M-isopropyl (=D169), flamprop-M-methyl (=D170), fluazifop (=D171), fluazifop-P (=D172), fluazifop-butyl-15 (=D173), fluazifop-P-butyl (=D174), 4), fluazolate (=D175), fluchloralin (=D176), flufenacet (thiafluramide) (=D177), flufenpyr (=D178), flufenpyr-ethyl (=D179), flumetralin (=D180), flumiclorac (=D181), flumiclorac-pentyl (=D182), flumioxazin (=D183), flumipropin (=D184), fluometuron (=D185), fluorodifen (=D186), fluoroglycofen (=D187), fluoroglycofen-ethyl (=D188), flupoxam (=D189),20 Flupropacil (=D190), Flupropanate (=D191), Flurenol (=D192), Flurenol-butyl (=D193), Fluridone (=D194), Flurochloridone (=D195), Fluroxypyr (=D196), Fluroxypyr-meptyl (=D197), Flurprimidol (=D198), Flurtamone (=D199), Fluthiacet (=D200), Fluthiacet-methyl (=D201), Fluthiamide (=D202), Fomesafen (=203), Forchlorfenuron (=D204), 04), fosamine (=D205), furyloxyfen (=D206), gibberellic acid 25 (=D207), glufosinate (=D208), glufosinate-ammonium (=D209), glufosinate-P (=D210), glufosinate-P-ammonium (=D211), glufosinate-P-sodium (=D212), glyphosate (=D213), glyphosate-isopropylammonium (=D214), H-9201 (=O-(2,4-dimethyl-6-nitrophenyl)-O-ethyl-isopropylphosate sulforamidothioate) (=D215), halosaphen (=D216), haloxyfop (=D217), haloxyfop-P (=D218), haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl (=D219), haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl (=D220), haloxyfop-methyl (=D221), haloxyfop-P-methyl (=D222), hexazinone (=D223), HW-02 (=1-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)-ethyl (2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetate) (=D224), inabenfide (=D225) , indanofan (=D226), indaziflam (=D227), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (=D228), 4-indol-3-ylbutyric acid (IBA) (=D229), ioxynil (=D230), ipfencarbazone (=D231), isocarbamide (=D232), isopropaline (=D233), isoproturon (=D234), isouron (=D235), isoxaben (=D236), isoxaclotol (=D237), isoxaflutole (=D238), isoxapyrifop (=D239),KUH-043 (=3-({[5-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl]methyl}sulfonyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazole) (=D240), carbutyrate (=D241), ketospiradox (=D242), lactofen (=D243), lenacil (=D244), linuron (=D245), maleic hydrazide (=D246), MCPA (=D247), MCPB (=D248), MCPB-methyl, -ethyl and -sodium (=D249), mecoprop (=D250), mecoprop-sodium (=D251), mecoprop-butotyl (, =D252), mecoprop-P-butotyl (=D253), mecoprop-P-dimethylammonium (=D254), mecoprop-P-2-ethylhexyl (=D255), mecoprop-P-potassium (=D256), mefenacet (=D257), mefluidide (=D258), mepiquat chloride (=D259), mesotrione (=D260), methabenzthiazuron (=D261), metam (=D262), metamifop (=D263), metamitron (=D264), metazachlor (=D265), methazole (=D266 ), methiopyrsulfuron (=D267), methiozolin (=D268), methoxyphenone (=D269), methyldimethyron (=D270), 1-methylcyclopropene (=D271), methyl isothiocyanate (=D272), metobenzuron (=D273), metobromuron (=D274), metolachlor (=D275), S-metolachlor (=D-276), methoxuron (=D277), metribuzin (=D278), molinate (=D279), monalide (=D280), monocarbamide (=D281), monocarbamide dihydrate D282), monolinuron (=D283), monosulfuron ester (=D284), monuron (=D285), MT-128 (=6-chloro-N-[(2E)-3-chloroprop-2-en-1-yl]-5-methyl-N-phenylpyridazin-3-amine) (=D286), MT-5950 (=N-[3-chloro-4-(1-methylethyl)-phenyl]-2-methylpentanamide) (=D287), NGGC-011 (=D288), naproanilide (=D289), napropamide (=D290), naptalam (=D291) ), NC-310 (=4-(2,4-dichlorobenzoyl)-1-methyl-5-benzyloxypyrazole) (=D292), Nebulon (=D293), Nipyraclofen (=D294), Nitraline (=D295), Nitrofen (=D296), Nitrophenolate-sodium (mixture of isomers) (=D297), Nitrofluorfen (=D298), Nonanoic acid (=D299), Norflurazon (=D300), Orbencarb (=D301), Oryzalin (=D302), Oxadiargyl (=D303), Oxadiazon (=D304),Oxaziclomefone (=D305), oxyfluorfen (=D306), paclobutrazol (=D307), paraquat (=D308), paraquat-dichloride (=D309), pelargonic acid (nonanoic acid) (=D310), pendimethalin (=D311), pendralin (=D312), pentanochlor (=D313), pentoxazone (=D314), perfluidone (=D315), petoxamid (=D317), phenisopham (=D318), phenmedipham (=D319), phenmedipham-ethyl (=D320), picromethane (=D321), loram (=D321), picolinafen (=D322), pinoxaden (=D323), piperophos (=D324), pyrifenop (=D325), pyrifenop-butyl (=D326), pretilachlor (=D327), probenazole (=D328), profluazole (=D329), procyazin (=D330), prodiamine (=D331), prifluralin (=D332), profoxydim (=D333), prohexadione (=D334), prohexadione calcium (=D335), prohydrojasmone (=D336) , prometon (=D337), prometryn (=D338), propachlor (=D339), propanil (=D340), propaquizafop (=D341), propazine (=D342), propham (=D343), propisochlor (=D344), propyzamide (=D345), prosulfarin (=D346), prosulfocarb (=D347), purinachlor (=D348), pyraclonil (=D349), pyraflufen (=D350), pyraflufen-ethyl (=D351), pyrasulfotole (=D352), pyrazolinate (pi lazolate) (=D353), pyrazoxyfen (=D354), pyribambenz (=D355), pyributicarb (=D356), pyridafol (=D357), pyridate (=D358), pyriminobac (=D359), 15-pyrimisulfan (=D360), pyroxasulfone (=D361), quinclorac (=D362), quinmerac (=D363), quinoclamine (=D364), quizalofop (=D365), quizalofop-ethyl (=D366), quizalofop-P (=D367), quizalofop-P-ethyl (=D368),Quizalofop-p-tefuryl (=D369), Saflufenacil (=D370), Secbumetone (=D371), Sethoxydim (=D372), Siduron (=D373), Simazine (=D374), Simetryne (=D375), SN-106279 (=Methyl-(2R)-2-({7-20[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-naphthyl}oxy)-propanoate) (=D376), Sulcotrione (=D377), Sulfarate (CDEC) (=D378), Sulfentrazone (=D379), Sulfosate (Glycine) phosate-trimesium) (=D380), SYN-523 (=D381), SYP-249 (=1-ethoxy-3-methyl-1-oxybut-3-en-2-yl-5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoate) (=D382), tebutam (=D383), tebuthiuron (=D384), tecnazene (=D385), tefuryltrione (=D386), tembotrione (=D387), tepraloxydim (=D388), terbacil (=D389), terbucarb (=D390), terbuchlor (=D391) ), terbumeton (=D392), terbuthylazine (=D393), terbutryn (=D394), thenylchlor (=D395), thiafluramide (=D396), thiazafluron (=D397), thiazopyr (=D398), thidiamine (=D399), thidiazuron (=D400), thiobencarb (=D401), thiocarbazil (=D402), topramezone (=D403), tralkoxydim (=D404), triallert (=D405), triaziflam (=D406), triazofenamide (=D407), trichloroacetic acid (TCA) (=D408), triclopyr (=D409), tridiphane (=D410), trietazine (=D411), trifluralin (=D412), trimeturon (=D413), trinexapac (=D414), trinexapac-ethyl (=D415), titodef (=D416), uniconazole (=D417), uniconazole-P (=D418), vernolate (=D419), ZJ-0862 (=3,4-dichloro-N-{2-[(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)oxy]benzyl}aniline) (=D420), and, respectively,The following compounds are defined by their chemical structures: [ka]

[0085] Preferably, the further herbicide applied according to the invention for the control of undesirable vegetation in ALS inhibitor herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris plants, preferably sugar beet or fodder beet plants, differs structurally and by mode of action from the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C) defined above and as described herein.

[0086] Concerning the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C), there are those belonging to the following groups: chloridazon (=D70), clethodim (=D79), clodinafop (=D80), clodinafop-propargyl (=D81), clopyralid (=D86), cycloxydim (=D94), desmedipham (=D108), dimethenamid (=D132), dimethenamid-P (=D133), ethofumesate (=D154), phenanthridine (=D155), phenanthridine (=D156), phenanthridine (=D157), phenanthridine (=D159), phenanthridine (=D160), phenanthridine (=D161), phenanthridine (=D162), phenanthridine (=D163), phenanthridine (=D164), phenanthridine (=D165), phenanthridine (=D166), phenanthridine (=D167), phenanthridine (=D168), phenanthridine (=D169), phenanthridine (=D170), phenanthridine (=D172), phenanthridine (=D173), phenanthridine (=D174), phenanthridine (=D175), phenanthridine (=D176), phenanthridine (=D177), phenanthridine (=D178), phenanthridine (=D179), phenanthridine (=D180), phenanthridine (=D181), phenanthridine (=D182), phenanthridine (=D183), phenanthridine (=D184), phenanthridine (=D185), phenanthridine (=D186), Noxaprop (=D161), Fenoxaprop-P (=D162), Fenoxaprop-ethyl (=D163), Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (=D164), Fluazifop (=D171), Fluazifop-P (=D172), Fluazifop-butyl (=D173), Fluazifop-P-butyl (=D174), Glufosinate (=D208), Glufosinate ammonium (=D209), Glufosinate-P (=D210) , glufosinate-P-ammonium (=D211), glufosinate-P-sodium (=D212), glyphosate (=D213), glyphosate-isopropylammonium (=D214), haloxyfop (=D217), haloxyfop-P (=D218), haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl (=D219), haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl (=D220), haloxyfop-methyl (=D221), haloxyfop-P-methyl (=D222). =D222), Lenacil (=D244), Metamitron (=D264), Phenmedipham (=D319), Phenmedipham-ethyl (=D320), Propaquizafop (=D341), Quimmerac (=D363), Quizalofop (=D365), Quizalofop-ethyl (=D366), Quizalofop-P (=D367), Quizalofop-P-ethyl (=D368), Quizalofop-P-tefuryl (=D369), Sethoxydim (=D372)

[0087] Even more preferably, the further herbicides which are different from the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C) defined above and which are applied according to the invention in relation to the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C) belong to the following groups: desmedipham (=D108), ethofumesate (=D154), glufosinate (=D208), glufosine (=D209), glufosine (=D300), glufosine (=D310), glufosine (=D320), glufosine (=D330), glufosine (=D340), glufosine (=D35 ... glyphosate-ammonium (=D209), glufosinate-P (=D210), glufosinate-P-ammonium (=D211), glufosinate-P-sodium (=D212), glyphosate (=D213), glyphosate-isopropylammonium (=D214), lenacil (=D244), metamitron (=D264), phenmedipham (=D319), phenmedipham-ethyl (=D320).

[0088] Very particularly interesting compositions for use according to the present invention for the control of undesirable vegetation are mixtures containing an ALS inhibitor herbicide and a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide, the compositions comprising a mixture of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) (compounds belonging to one or more of groups (A), (B) and (C)) and a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) (group (D) members; as defined above): (A1-1)+(D108);(A1-1)+(D154);(A1-1)+(D208);(A1-1)+(D209); (A1-1)+(D210);(A1-1)+(D212);(A1-1)+(D213);(A1-1)+(D214); (A1-1)+(D244);(A1-1)+(D264);(A1-1)+(D319);(A1-1)+(D320). (A1-13)+(D108);(A1-13)+(D154);(A1-13)+(D208);(A1-13)+(D209); (A1-13)+(D210);(A1-13)+(D212);(A1-13)+(D213);(A1-13)+(D214); (A1-13)+(D244);(A1-13)+(D264);(A1-13)+(D319);(A1-13)+(D320)。 (A1-16)+(D108);(A1-16)+(D154);(A1-16)+(D208);(A1-16)+(D209); (A1-16)+(D210);(A1-16)+(D212);(A1-16)+(D213);(A1-16)+(D214); (A1-16)+(D244);(A1-16)+(D264);(A1-16)+(D319);(A1-16)+(D320)。 (A1-39)+(D108);(A1-39)+(D154);(A1-39)+(D208);(A1-39)+(D209); (A1-39)+(D210);(A1-39)+(D212);(A1-39)+(D213);(A1-39)+(D214); (A1-39)+(D244);(A1-39)+(D264);(A1-39)+(D319);(A1-39)+(D320)。 (A1-41)+(D108);(A1-41)+(D154);(A1-41)+(D208);(A1-41)+(D209); (A1-41)+(D210);(A1-41)+(D212);(A1-41)+(D213);(A1-41)+(D214); (A1-41)+(D244);(A1-41)+(D264);(A1-41)+(D319);(A1-41)+(D320)。 (A1-83)+(D108);(A1-83)+(D154);(A1-83)+(D208);(A1-83)+(D209); (A1-83)+(D210);(A1-83)+(D212);(A1-83)+(D213);(A1-83)+(D214); (A1-83)+(D244);(A1-83)+(D264);(A1-83)+(D319);(A1-83)+(D320)。 <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr">(A1-87)+(D108);(A1-87)+(D154);(A1-87)+(D208);(A1-87)+(D209);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-87)+(D210);(A1-87)+(D212);(A1-87)+(D213);(A1-87)+(D214);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-87)+(D244);(A1-87)+(D264);(A1-87)+(D319);(A1-87)+(D320)。<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A2-3)+(D108);(A2-3)+(D154);(A2-3)+(D208);(A2-3)+(D209);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A2-3)+(D21 0);(A2-3)+(D212);(A2-3)+(D213);(A2-3)+(D214);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A2-3)+(D244);(A2-3)+(D264);(A2-3)+(D319);(A2-3)+(D320)。<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (B1-2)+(D108);(B1-2)+(D154);(B1-2)+(D208);(B1-2)+(D209);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (B1-2)+(D21 0);(B1-2)+(D212);(B1-2)+(D213);(B1-2)+(D214);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (B1-2)+(D244);(B1-2)+(D264);(B1-2)+(D319);(B1-2)+(D320).<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (C1-1)+(D108);(C1-1)+(D154);(C1-1)+(D208);(C1-1)+(D209);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (C1-1)+(D210);(C1-1)+(D212);(C1-1)+(D213);(C1-1)+(D214);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (C1-1)+(D244);(C1-1)+(D264);(C1-1)+(D319);(C1-1)+(D320)。<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr">

[0089] <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> The application of ALS inhibitor herbicides also effectively acts on perennial weeds that produce shoots from rhizomes, rhizomes and other perennial organs and are difficult to control.Here, such substances can be applied, for example, together or separately, by pre-sowing method, pre-emergence method or post-emergence method.For example, application by post-emergence method is preferred, especially to the harmful plants that have emerged.

[0090] Specific examples of some representatives of the monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weed flora that can be controlled by ALS inhibitor herbicides can be mentioned, without the listing being limited to any particular species.

[0091] Examples of weed species on which the application according to the invention works effectively include, from among monocotyledonous weed species, Avena spp., Alopecurus spp., Apera spp., Brachiaria spp., Bromus spp., Digitaria spp., Lolium spp., Echinochloa spp., Panicum spp., Phalaris spp., Paa spp., Setaria spp., and others. spp), from the annual group, as well as Cyperus species, and from the perennial group, Agropyron, Cynodon, Imperata and Sorghum, as well as perennial Cyperus species.

[0092] In the case of dicotyledonous weed species, the spectrum of action is, for example, among the annual weeds, Abutilon spp., Amaranthus spp., Chenopodium spp., Chrysanthemum spp., Galium spp., Ipomoea spp., Kochia spp., Lamium spp., Matricaria spp., Pharbitis spp., Polygonum spp., Sida spp., Sinapis spp., Solanum spp., spp.), Stellaria spp., Veronica spp., and Viola spp., Xanthium spp., and in the case of perennial weeds, extended to genera such as Convolvulus, Cirsium, Rumex and Artemisia.

[0093] As used herein, unless expressly indicated otherwise, the term "plant" is intended to mean a plant at any stage of development.

[0094] The present invention further provides a method for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris plant as described herein, preferably in a sugar beet or fodder beet, comprising applying, e.g., together or separately, one or more of the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and / or (C) to a plant (e.g. a harmful plant, e.g. a monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weed or an undesirable crop plant), a seed (a seed or a vegetative propagation organ, e.g. a tuber or shoot), or an area in which said plant is growing (e.g. an arable area).

[0095] The present invention further provides a method for controlling undesirable vegetation in Beta vulgaris plants, preferably sugar beet or fodder beet, as described herein, comprising applying, for example, together or separately, one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belonging to group (A), (B) and / or (C) alone or in combination with a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide belonging to class (D) compounds according to the present invention to a plant (e.g. a harmful plant, e.g. a monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weed or an undesirable crop plant), a seed (seed or vegetative propagation organ, e.g. a tuber or shoot), or an area in which said plant grows (e.g. an arable area). The one or more non-ALS inhibitor herbicides in combination with one or more ALS inhibitor herbicides may be applied to said plant, said seed, or the area in which said plant grows (e.g. an arable area) before, after or simultaneously with the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s).

[0096] "Unwanted plants" or "undesirable vegetation" should be understood to mean any plant that grows in an undesirable place. This may be, for example, a harmful plant (e.g., a monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weed or an undesirable crop plant).

[0097] The herbicidal combinations used according to the invention can be prepared by known processes, for example as a mixed formulation of the individual components, if appropriate with further active compounds, additives and / or customary formulation auxiliaries, and this combination is then applied in a customary manner by dilution with water or as a tank mix by joint dilution of the separately formulated or partially separately formulated components with water. Separate application of the separately formulated or partially separately formulated individual components is also possible.

[0098] The ALS inhibitor herbicide or combinations comprising ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) and non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) can also be applied in multiple applications (sequential application), for example, using a pre-emergence application followed by a post-emergence application, or an early post-emergence application followed by a mid- or late post-emergence application, where joint or near-simultaneous application of the active compounds of the combination in question is preferred.

[0099] The herbicides belonging to any of the above-defined groups (A), (B), (C) and (D) and applied according to the invention can be converted together or separately into conventional formulations impregnated with active compounds, such as solutions, emulsion suspensions, powders, foams, pastes, granules, aerosols, natural and synthetic materials, and microcapsules in polymeric materials. The formulations can contain conventional auxiliaries and additives.

[0100] These formulations are prepared in known manner, for example by mixing the active compounds with extenders which are liquid solvents, compressed liquefied gases and / or solid carriers and, where appropriate, with surfactants which are emulsifiers and / or dispersing agents and / or foam-forming agents.

[0101] When the extender used is water, it is also possible to use organic solvent as auxiliary solvent, for example.Suitable liquid solvents are essentially: aromatics, for example xylene, toluene, alkylnaphthalene, chlorinated aromatics or chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, for example chlorobenzene, chloroethylene or methylene chloride, aliphatic hydrocarbons, for example cyclohexane or paraffins, for example mineral oil fractions, mineral and vegetable oils, alcohols, for example butanol or glycol, as well as ethers and their esters, ketones, for example acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone or cyclohexanone, strongly polar solvents, for example dimethylformamide or dimethylsulfoxide, and also water. Suitable solid carriers are, for example, ammonium salts and powdered natural minerals, such as kaolin, clay, talc, chalk, quartz, attapulgite, montmorillonite or diatomaceous earth, and powdered synthetic minerals, such as fine silica, 30 alumina and silicates; suitable solid carriers for granules are, for example, crushed and fractionated natural rocks, such as calcite, marble, pumice, sepiolite and dolomite, and also synthetic granules of inorganic and organic meal and granules of organic materials, such as sawdust, coconut shells, corn cobs and tobacco stalks; suitable emulsifiers and / or foam formers are, for example, non-ionic and ionic emulsifiers, such as polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol 5 ethers, such as alkylaryl polyglycol ethers, alkylsulfonates, alkyl sulfates, arylsulfonates, and also protein hydrolysates; suitable dispersants are, for example, lignin sulfite waste liquor and methylcellulose.

[0102] Thickeners, such as carboxymethylcellulose and natural and synthetic polymers, such as gum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate, and also natural phospholipids, such as cephalin and lecithin, and synthetic phospholipids, in the form of powders, granules or latex, can be used in the formulations. Other possible additives are mineral and vegetable oils.

[0103] The herbicidal action of the herbicidal combinations used according to the invention can be improved, for example, by surfactants, preferably by wetting agents from the group of the fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, which preferably comprise from 10 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty alcohol radical and from 2 to 20 ethylene oxide units in the polyglycol ether moiety. The fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers may be present in non-ionic or ionic form, for example in the form of fatty alcohol polyglycol ether sulfates, which may be used as alkali metal salts (for example sodium and potassium salts) or ammonium salts or even alkaline earth metal salts, for example magnesium salts, for example sodium C12 / C14-fatty alcohol diglycol ether sulfate (Genapol® LRO, Clariant GmbH); see for example EP-A-0476555, EP-A-0048436, EP-A-0336151 or US-A-4,400,196 and also Proc. EWRS Symp. “Factors Affecting Herbicidal Activity and Selectivity”, 227-232 (1988). Nonionic fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers are, for example, (C10-C1a)-, preferably (C10-C14)-fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers (for example isotridecyl alcohol polyglycol ethers) which comprise, for example, 2 to 20, preferably 3 to 15, ethylene oxide units, for example those from the Genapol® X-series, such as Genapol® X-030, Genapol® X-060, Genapol® X-080 or Genapol® X-150 (all from Clariant GmbH).

[0104] The present invention further comprises the combination of an ALS inhibitor herbicide belonging to any of groups (A), (B) and (C) according to the invention with the above mentioned wetting agent from the group of fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, which preferably contain 10-18 carbon atoms in the fatty alcohol radical and 2-20 ethylene oxide units in the polyglycol ether moiety and may be present in non-ionic or ionic form (e.g. as fatty alcohol polyglycol ether sulfates). Preference is given to sodium C12 / C14-fatty alcohol diglycol ether sulfate (Genapol® LRO, Clariant GmbH) and isotridecyl alcohol polyglycol ethers having 3-15 ethylene oxide units, for example from the Genapol® X-series, for example Genapol® X-030, Genapol® X-060, Genapol® X-080 and Genapol® X-150 (all from Clariant GmbH).

[0105] Furthermore, fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, such as nonionic or ionic fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers (e.g. fatty alcohol polyglycol ether sulfates), are also known to be suitable for use as penetrants and activity enhancers for many other herbicides (see, for example, EP-A-0502014).

[0106] The herbicidal action of the herbicidal combination according to the invention can also be improved by using vegetable oil.The term vegetable oil should be understood to mean the oil of oily plant species, such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, linseed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, thistle oil or castor oil, especially rapeseed oil, and their transesterification products, such as alkyl esters, such as rapeseed methyl ester or rapeseed ethyl ester.

[0107] The vegetable oils are preferably esters of C10-C22, preferably C12-C20, fatty acids. C10-C22 fatty acid esters are, for example, esters of unsaturated or saturated C10-C22 fatty acids, in particular those with an even number of carbon atoms, such as erucic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid and in particular C18 fatty acids, such as stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid or linolenic acid.

[0108] Examples of C10-C22 fatty acid esters are esters obtained by reacting glycerol or glycol with C10-C22 fatty acids contained, for example, in the oils of oily plant species, or C1-C20-alkyl-C10-C22 fatty acid esters, which can be obtained, for example, by transesterification of said glycerol- or glycol-C10-C22 fatty acid esters with C1-C20-alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol or butanol. Transesterification can be carried out by known methods, for example as described in Rompp Chemie Lexikon, 9th edition, Volume 2, page 1343, Thieme Verlag Stuttgart.

[0109] Preferred C1-C20-alkyl-C10-C22 fatty acid esters are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, 2-ethylhexyl and dodecyl esters. Preferred glycol- and glycerol-C10-C2r fatty acid esters are the homogeneous or mixed glycol and glycerol esters of C10-C2r fatty acids, in particular fatty acids with an even number of carbon atoms, such as erucic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid and, in particular, C18-fatty acids, such as stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid or linolenic acid.

[0110] In the herbicidal compositions used according to the invention, the vegetable oil may be present, for example, in the form of commercially available oil-containing formulation additives, in particular those based on rapeseed oil, such as Hasten® (Victorian Chemical Company, Australia, hereinafter referred to as Hasten, main component: rapeseed oil ethyl ester), Actirob® B (Novance, France, hereinafter referred to as Actirob B, main component: rapeseed oil methyl ester), Rako-Binol® (Bayer AG, Germany, hereinafter referred to as Rako-Binol, main component: rapeseed oil), Renal® (Stefes, Germany, hereinafter referred to as Renal, vegetable oil component: rapeseed oil methyl ester) or Stefes Mero® (Stefes, Germany, hereinafter referred to as Mero, main component: rapeseed oil methyl ester).

[0111] Colorants such as inorganic pigments, for example iron oxide, titanium oxide, Prussian blue, and organic dyes, for example alizarin dyes, azo dyes and metal phthalocyanine dyes, as well as micronutrients, for example salts of iron, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt, molybdenum and zinc, can be used.

[0112] The formulations used according to the invention generally contain from 0.1 to 95% by weight of active compound, preferably from 0.5 to 90% by weight.

[0113] The ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to any of groups (A), (B), and (C) defined above, either by themselves or in formulations, can also be used as mixtures with other agriculturally active compounds, e.g., known non-ALS inhibitor herbicides, to control undesirable vegetation, e.g., to control weeds, or to control undesirable crop plants, e.g., as final formulations or tank mixes.

[0114] Mixtures of ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to any of groups (A), (B), and (C) as defined above with other known active compounds, such as fungicides, insecticides, acaricides, nematicides, antidotes, drug safeners, bird repellents, plant nutrients, and soil structure improvers, are also possible.

[0115] The ALS inhibitor herbicide belonging to any of the above-defined groups (A), (B), (C) can be used as such, in the form of a formulation, or in a use form prepared therefrom by further dilution, for example, ready-to-use solutions, suspensions, emulsions, powders, pastes and granules. Application is carried out in a conventional manner, for example, by watering, spraying, atomizing, dusting.

[0116] According to the present invention, one or more of the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to any of groups (A), (B) and (C) defined above can be applied to plants (e.g. harmful plants, such as monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weeds or undesirable crop plants), seeds (e.g. grains, seeds or vegetative propagation organs, such as tubers or shoots with buds) or cultivated land areas (e.g. soil), preferably to green plants and plant parts, and if appropriate, to soil in addition, either alone or in combination with one or more non-ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to group (D).One possible use is the joint application of active compounds in the form of tank mix, where the optimally formulated concentrated formulations of the individual active compounds are mixed together with water in a tank, and the resulting spray solution is applied.

[0117] Additional definitions The following definitions are provided to better define the present invention and to guide those of skill in the art in the practice of the present invention. Unless otherwise noted, terms are to be understood according to conventional usage by those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0118] As used herein, the term "plant" includes plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant cultures of tissue culture from which beet plants can be regenerated, plant callus, plant mass, and intact plant cells in the plant or plant parts, such as pollen, flowers, seeds, leaves, stems, etc. Also included are propagation material and harvestable parts, such as roots, especially beet roots.

[0119] Plant parts may be attached to or separated from the whole intact plant, and include, but are not limited to, plant organs, tissues and cells, and preferably seeds.

[0120] As used herein, the term "population" means a genetically heterogeneous collection of plants that share a common parental origin.

[0121] As used herein, the terms "variety" and "cultivar" refer to a group of similar plants that can be identified from other varieties within the same species by genetic lineage and performance.

[0122] As used herein, "allele" refers to one of two or more alternative forms of a genomic sequence at a given locus on a chromosome.

[0123] As used herein, "marker" refers to a detectable characteristic that can be used to distinguish between organisms. Examples of such characteristics include, but are not limited to, genetic markers, biochemical markers, metabolic products, phenotypic characteristics, and agronomic characteristics.

[0124] As used herein, the term "phenotype" means the detectable characteristics of a cell or organism that can be influenced by gene expression.

[0125] As used herein, the term "genotype" refers to the specific allelic makeup of a plant.

[0126] As used herein, an "elite" or "cultivated" variety or line means any variety resulting from breeding and selection for superior agronomic performance. An "elite plant" refers to a plant belonging to an elite variety or line. Numerous elite varieties are available and known to those skilled in the art of beet breeding. An "elite population" is a class of elite individuals or varieties that can be used to represent the state of the art in terms of agronomically superior genotypes of a given crop species, e.g., beet. Similarly, an "elite germplasm" or elite germplasm line is an agronomically superior germplasm.

[0127] As used herein, the term "introgressed" when used in reference to a locus refers to a locus that has been introduced into a new genetic background, for example, through backcrossing. Introgression of a locus can be achieved through plant breeding methods and / or by molecular genetic methods. Such molecular genetic methods include, but are not limited to, various plant transformation techniques and / or methods that provide homologous recombination, non-homologous recombination, site-specific recombination, and / or genome modification that provide locus replacement or locus conversion.

[0128] As used herein, the terms "recombinant" or "recombined" in the context of chromosomal segments refer to recombinant DNA sequences that comprise one or more genetic loci in a configuration in which they are not found in nature, e.g., as a result of recombination events between homologous chromosomes during meiosis.

[0129] As used herein, the term "linked" when used in the context of nucleic acid markers and / or genomic regions means that the markers and / or genomic regions are located on the same linkage group or chromosome such that they tend to segregate together during meiosis.

[0130] "Sequence identity" and "sequence similarity" can be determined by aligning two nucleotide sequences using global or local alignment algorithms. Sequences can be called "substantially identical" or "essentially similar" if they share at least a certain minimum percentage of sequence identity when they are optimally aligned, for example, by the programs GAP or BESTFIT or the Emboss program "Needle" (using default parameters). These programs use the Needleman-Wunsch global alignment algorithm to align two sequences over their entire length, maximizing the number of matches and minimizing the number of gaps. Generally, default parameters are used, with a gap creation penalty of 10 and a gap extension penalty of 0.5 (for both nucleotide and protein alignments). For nucleotides, the default scoring matrix used is DNAFULL (Henikoff & Henikoff, 1992, PNAS 89, 10915-10919). Sequence alignment and scores for percent sequence identity may be determined, for example, using a computer program, such as EMBOSS, available on the World Wide Web under ebi.ac.uk / Tools / psa / emboss_needle / . Alternatively, sequence similarity or identity may be determined by searching against databases, such as FASTA, BLAST, etc., but hits should be removed pairwise and aligned to compare sequence identity. Two nucleic acid sequences have "substantial sequence identity" when the percent sequence identity is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, 99% or more (e.g., at least 99.1, 99.2, 99.3, 99.4, 99.5, 99.6, 99.7, 99.8, 99.9 or more (as determined by Emboss "needle" using the scoring matrix DNAFULL for nucleic acids and using default parameters, i.e., gap creation penalty=10, gap extension penalty=0.5).The markers may show variation, especially in regions not recognized by the probe.

[0131] The term "about" is used to indicate that a value includes the standard deviation of error for the device or method used to determine the value. The use of the term "or" in the claims is used to mean "and / or" unless expressly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternatives are not mutually exclusive, but the present disclosure does not support a definition that refers to alternatives only and refers to "and / or". When used in conjunction with the word "comprises" or other open language in the claims, the words "a" and "an" refer to "one or more" unless otherwise stated. The terms "comprise", "have" and "include" are open-ended linking verbs. Any form or tense of one or more of these verbs, such as "comprises", "comprising", "has", "having", "includes" and "including", are also open-ended. For example, any method that "comprises," "has," or "includes" one or more steps is not limited to possessing only those one or more steps, but also covers other unrecited steps. Similarly, any plant that "comprises," "has," or "includes" one or more features is not limited to possessing only those one or more features, but also covers other unrecited features.

[0132] "Endogenous" gene means a gene of a plant that has been introduced into the plant by genetic engineering techniques.

[0133] It should be noted that as used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. So, for example, reference to "a reagent" includes one or more of such different reagents, and reference to "the method" includes reference to equivalent steps and methods known to those of skill in the art that may be modified or substituted for the methods described herein.

[0134] Unless otherwise indicated, the term "at least" preceding a series of elements should be understood to refer to every element in the series. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

[0135] All publications and patents cited in this disclosure are incorporated by reference in their entirety. To the extent that material incorporated by reference conflicts or is inconsistent with this specification, the present specification takes precedence over any such material.

[0136] Deposit Information Seeds of an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris donor line comprising the BVals_W569L allele, designated herein as SU-12-1, have been deposited with NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​March 12, 2010, under the number NCIMB41705.

[0137] Throughout this specification, reference is made to the following sequence listing entries: SEQ ID NO: 1: Amino acid sequence of the ALS large subunit from wild-type reference Beta vulgaris. SEQ ID NO: 2: Nucleotide sequence of the ALS large subunit from wild-type reference Beta vulgaris. SEQ ID NO: 3: Amino acid sequence of the herbicide-resistant large ALS subunit from Beta vulgaris (BvALS_W569L) SEQ ID NO: 4: Nucleotide sequence of the herbicide-resistant large ALS subunit from Beta vulgaris (BvALS_W569L) SEQ ID NO: 5: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Arabidopsis thaliana (At2g31810) SEQ ID NO: 6: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Arabidopsis thaliana (At2g31810) SEQ ID NO: 7: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Arabidopsis thaliana (At5g16290) SEQ ID NO: 8: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Arabidopsis thaliana (At5g16290) SEQ ID NO: 9: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from reference Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 10: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from reference Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 11: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from reference Beta vulgaris (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 12: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from reference Beta vulgaris (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 13: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype A (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 14: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype A (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 15: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype A (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 16: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype A (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 17: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype B (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 18: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype B (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 19: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype B (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 20: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype B (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 21: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype C (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 22: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype C (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 23: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype C (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 24: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype C (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 25: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype D (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 26: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype D (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 27: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype D (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 28: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype D (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 29: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype E (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 30: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype E (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 31: Amino acid sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype E (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 32: Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris genotype E (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 33: Nucleotide sequence of marker M1 for identification of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 34: Nucleotide sequence of marker M2 for identification of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 35: Nucleotide sequence of marker M3 for identification of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 36: Nucleotide sequence of marker M4 for the identification of the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 37: Nucleotide sequence of marker M5-left marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 38: Nucleotide sequence of marker M6-left marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 39: Nucleotide sequence of marker M7-left marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 40: Nucleotide sequence of marker M8-left marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 41: Nucleotide sequence of marker M9-left marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 42: Nucleotide sequence of marker M10-left marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 43: Nucleotide sequence of marker M11-right marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 44: Nucleotide sequence of the marker M12-right marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 45: Nucleotide sequence of the marker M13-right marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B3_059040) SEQ ID NO: 46: Nucleotide sequence of the marker M14-right marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 47: Nucleotide sequence of the marker M15-right marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B4_074570) SEQ ID NO: 48: Nucleotide sequence of the marker M16-right marker, for the regulatory ALS small subunit from Beta vulgaris (B4_074570) EXAMPLES

[0138] Effect of different regulatory subunit mutants on the activity of BvALS holoenzyme material and method The coding sequences for the catalytic and regulatory BvALS subunits are PCR amplified from sugar beet cDNA and cloned into a suitable vector for protein expression, including the herbicide-resistant mutant W569L for the catalytic subunit. Proteins are expressed either in bacterial systems using pET-28 vectors (Novagen / Merck) or in plant cell-based systems using pALiCE vectors (LenioBio). Protein purification is performed via His-tag. Enzyme activity is determined either using a fixed colorimetric assay that measures the acetoin converted from acetolactate or using a continuous assay that monitors the consumption of pyruvate (Chang et al., 1997 Expression, purification and characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana acetohydroxyacid synthase). Results and Discussion ALS activity assays performed using only the catalytic subunit result in different values ​​compared to assays based on the holoenzyme reconstituted in vitro. Combining the regulatory subunit with the purified catalytic subunit results in activity simulations that are sensitive to inhibition by valine, leucine, and isoleucine, as demonstrated in Arabidopsis thaliana (Lee et al., 2001). The enzymatic activity of the ALS holoenzyme without herbicide-resistant mutations is measured in comparison to herbicide-resistant ALS holoenzymes carrying different regulatory subunit combinations that reflect and test the allelic variations found in a panel of sugar beet genotypes. This approach identifies the best-working catalytic and regulatory ALS subunit combinations to ensure robust enzyme performance. Identification of BvALS regulatory subunits The identification of the Beta vulgaris orthologues is based on the published Arabidopsis thaliana genes encoding ALS regulatory subunits. At2g31810 (SEQ ID NOs: 5 and 6) is a valid Arabidopsis ALS regulatory subunit, whereas the close homologue At5g16290 (SEQ ID NOs: 7 and 8) is classified as a potential ALS regulatory subunit. For both genes, sugar beet orthologues are found by BLAST. BV3_059040 corresponds to At2g31810 and BV4_074570 corresponds to At5g16290. The coding sequences extracted from the reference genotypes and the predicted amino acid sequences can be found in the sequence listing in SEQ ID NOs: 9 to 12. Based on sequence analysis of the elite genotypes, the most compatible combinations of regulatory subunits and mutant catalytic subunits (W569L) that confer ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance ensuring robust BvALS enzyme performance are designated genotypes A, B, C, D and E. Their respective amino acid and nucleotide sequences for both BV3_059040 and BV4_074570 can be found in the sequence listing (SEQ ID NOs: 13-32). See also paragraph

[0114] . Suitable markers for monitoring the Bv3_059040 and Bv4_074570 alleles during the breeding process and product growth are listed in the sequence listing below. [Table 2] [Table 3]

Table 4

Claims

1. acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor-herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris plants or seeds, such as sugar beet plants or seeds, a. an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid 569 in place of the naturally occurring tryptophan; and b. ALS small subunits that can be selected by identification with marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:33), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:34), marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:35), or marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:36). The plant or seed as described above, comprising an ALS holoenzyme comprising:

2. 2. The Beta vulgaris strain of claim 1, wherein the ALS small subunit is encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 3 between a marker selected from marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:37), marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:38), or marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:39) and a marker selected from marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:43), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:44), or marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:45); or wherein the ALS small subunit is encoded by a chromosomal region located on chromosome 4 between a marker selected from marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:40), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:41), or marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:42) and a marker selected from marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:46), marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:47), or marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:48). vulgaris) plant or seed.

3. 3. A Beta vulgaris plant or seed according to claim 1, wherein the ALS small subunit comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 95% or at least 98% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 17, SEQ ID NO: 19; SEQ ID NO: 21; SEQ ID NO: 23, SEQ ID NO: 25; SEQ ID NO: 27; SEQ ID NO: 29 or SEQ ID NO: 31, or is encoded by a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 18, SEQ ID NO: 20; SEQ ID NO: 22; SEQ ID NO: 24, SEQ ID NO: 26; SEQ ID NO: 28; SEQ ID NO: 30 or SEQ ID NO:

32.

4. a. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; b. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19; c. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:21, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:23; d. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:25, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:27; or e. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 that encodes an amino acid sequence having 98% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:31; or f. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16; g. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20; h. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:24; i. comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:26, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:28; or j. The Beta vulgaris plant or seed of claim 1, comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 3 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 30, and further comprising an allele of the ALS small subunit on chromosome 4 comprising a nucleotide sequence having 98% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:

32.

5. 2. The Beta vulgaris plant or seed of claim 1, wherein the ALS large subunit comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, or the ALS large subunit is encoded by a nucleotide sequence comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:

4.

6. 1. A method for producing a Beta vulgaris plant with an optimally adapted large subunit and one or more regulatory subunits of the ALS holoenzyme, comprising: a. crossing a Beta vulgaris plant comprising an allele encoding an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid position 569 in place of naturally occurring tryptophan with a Beta vulgaris plant comprising at least one allele encoding an ALS small subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:23; SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29 or SEQ ID NO:31; and b. Identifying a progeny plant comprising said allele encoding said ALS large subunit and said at least one allele encoding said ALS regulatory subunit. The method comprising:

7. 1. A method for producing a Beta vulgaris plant with an optimally adapted large subunit and one or more regulatory subunits of the ALS holoenzyme, comprising: a. providing a Beta vulgaris plant comprising an allele encoding an ALS large subunit comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, such as the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, and further comprising a leucine at a position corresponding to amino acid 569 in place of naturally occurring tryptophan; b. Adapting the nucleotide sequence of the allele in chromosome 3 and / or the allele in chromosome 4 encoding the ALS small subunit by genome editing or directed mutation to obtain a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 18, SEQ ID NO: 20; SEQ ID NO: 22; SEQ ID NO: 24, SEQ ID NO: 26; SEQ ID NO: 28; SEQ ID NO: 30 or SEQ ID NO:

32. The method comprising:

8. 10. Use of the hybrid Beta vulgaris plant of claim 1 for the production of sugars, ethanol, betaine and / or uridine, or for the production of animal feed.

9. 10. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicides for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris growing area, wherein the Beta vulgaris plant is the hybrid Beta vulgaris plant of claim 1.

10. 10. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to claim 9, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprise foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3) or iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7] (=A1-16) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3).

11. 10. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to claim 9 in combination with a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide (i.e., a herbicide that exhibits a mode of action different from the inhibition of the ALS enzyme [acetohydroxyacid synthase; EC 2.2.1.6] Group D herbicide), wherein the non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is / are selected from the group consisting of chloridazon, clethodim, clodinafop, clodinafop-propargyl, clopyralid, cycloxydim, desmedipham, dimethenamid, dimethenamid-P, ethofumesate, fenoxaprop, fenoxaprop-P, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, fluazifop, fluazifop-P, fluazifop-P, fluazifop-P-ethyl, fluazifop ... The use of an insecticide selected from the group consisting of quizalofop-butyl, fluazifop-P-butyl, glufosinate, glufosinate-ammonium, glufosinate-P, glufosinate-P-ammonium, glufosinate-P-sodium, glyphosate, glyphosate-isopropylammonium, haloxyfop, haloxyfop-P, haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-methyl, haloxyfop-P-methyl, lenacil, metamitron, phenmedipham, phenmedipham-ethyl, propaquizafop, quinmerac, quizalofop, quizalofop-ethyl, quizalofop-P, quizalofop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-tefuryl, and sethoxydim.

12. 1. A method for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris plant growth area, comprising: (a) the presence of the Beta vulgaris plant of claim 1; (b) application of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) alone or in combination with one or more herbicides not belonging to the class of ALS inhibitor herbicides (non-ALS inhibitor herbicides); and (c) The application of each herbicide defined in (b) (i) jointly or simultaneously; or (ii) Pre-emergence application followed by post-emergence or early post-emergence application followed by mid- or late post-emergence application at different times and / or in multiple applications (sequential application) The method, characterized in that

13. 13. The method of claim 12 for controlling undesirable vegetation, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprise foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3) or iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7] (=A1-16) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3).

14. The non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is / are selected from the group consisting of chloridazon, clethodim, clodinafop, clodinafop-propargyl, clopyralid, cycloxydim, desmedipham, dimethenamid, dimethenamid-P, ethofumesate, fenoxaprop, fenoxaprop-P, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, fluazifop, fluazifop-P, fluazifop-butyl, fluazifop-P-butyl, glufosinate, glufosinate-ammonium, glufosinate-P, glufosinate-P-ammonium, glufosinate ...

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of benzophenone-P-sodium, glyphosate, glyphosate-isopropylammonium, haloxyfop, haloxyfop-P, haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-methyl, haloxyfop-P-methyl, lenacil, metamitron, phenmedipham, phenmedipham-ethyl, propaquizafop, quinmerac, quizalofop, quizalofop-ethyl, quizalofop-P, quizalofop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-tefuryl and sethoxydim.